Electra of the Lone Islands
by PhoenixStargirl
Summary: Electra, a pirate of the Lone Islands, finds her life completely changed when she comes face to face with the Kings and Queens of Narnia four years after the fall of Jadis. Some Edmund X OC. Rated T for future chapters. Adventure/Drama. Enjoy!
1. The Lost Child

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and of C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

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The Lost Child

A bright red glow lifted against the northern horizon. Had the color been against the eastern or western sky, it might have been mistaken for the breathtaking phenomena that took place every morning and evening. The rapid increase of red, however, gave off the evil foreboding presence that was only intensified by the piercing screams that filled the air around it.

Chaos filled the night, the fateful night Electra would never remember.

She was watching everything from her window, entranced while looking down upon her city that was aglow with the same light that kept her room lit in the deepest parts of the night. It was the same light that frightened away the monsters and demons that lurked in the darkest shadows only to come out when the unsuspecting victim was dreaming pleasantly.

Why the people in the city below screamed in fright away from such a protective light was a mystery to her, and drew in her curiosity all the more.

Her bedroom door opened with a bang, causing Electra's attention to be pulled away from the sight outside the window. An elder woman with graying-blonde hair hurried in, glancing over at the bed. A look of panic crossed her face as her eyes grazed wildly around the room before falling upon Electra.

"Electra!" she gasped in a crazed whisper, "Get away from the window! You could be seen!" She hurried over, kneeling to the floor to bring herself more to Electra's height. She pulled her close, embracing the small girl tightly. The urgency Electra felt from the woman caused fear to seep into her for the first time that night. She pulled away from the elder woman, her moss-grey eyes wide.

"Nurse?" Her small voice called through the air, coming out like a small wounded animal. The sound made the nurse tremble and pull Electra into a closer embrace.

A loud crash forced their bodies to jolt apart. Electra looked around still unaware of what was going on. Yet she was starting to feel the danger around her. Tears began to spring forward as she was lifted into the air; her dark curls bounced on her shoulders as the nurse balanced Electra in her arms.

"We must go find your parents" she whispered hurriedly, carrying the child from her room.

The halls were in even more of frantic than the Nurse, so much so that Electra's fear was momentarily forgotten as she watched everyone run about, wondering where each that fell within her line of vision was headed.

"Electra, my child!"

Electra felt herself being lifted from the nurse's arms and into a set of entirely different ones. The face was familiar, the same moss-grey eyes and curled hair, only light. She knew she was safe in her mother's care but she could never feel as safe as she did with the nurse. The man next to her mother was also familiar, and resembled Electra in that he had the same dark hair as well.

"You should leave quickly, your Majesties," the nurse whispered. Her hand shakily ran through Electra's hair and down her cheek. "I shall miss you, sweet princess."

"Nurse," Electra whispered, taking the nurse's wrinkling hand in her small smooth ones. Electra didn't quite understand the feeling, but something inside told her that if she let go of the elder woman, she would never see her again.

"We must go," her father urged, leading his wife and daughter down a side and much less frantic hall. Electra kept her eyes on the nurse as she stayed put stayed put, the nurse in turn watching them flee before they turned a corner and she disappeared from view entirely.

Tears once again leaked from Electra's eyes and she let out a small cry of despair. She didn't understand why her nurse hadn't come with them.

"Hush, my darling," her mother whispered. "You must be silent."

Despite her grief, Electra obeyed, silencing herself so her only signs of grief were her tears.

They were now deeper in their home than Electra had ever been. They had just passed through a metal door and were traveling down a long hallway in which each side had two sets of walls: the stone ones farther back and the close ones were metal bars. Upon reaching the far wall, her father leaned forward and pulled open an unseen door from the floor.

Beneath the door was a small hidden chamber that held a river. It seemed the river ran beneath their huge home. A boat and watchmen were waiting for them, Electra clung tightly to her mother as the small boat rocked with their added weight, but didn't tip over.

Electra, finding all of this too uneventful to pay attention to as her father whispered to the watchman, fingered a chain around her neck that held a necklace. On it was a small pendant with what she knew to be her name inscribed into it.

"Good luck to the both of you, your Majesties," the Watchman whispered as Electra's father took out the oars and began rowing toward the exit.

A thunderous crash was then heard from above. Electra felt herself being pulled into an even tighter embrace. Shouts and metal clanging reached Electra's ears. The sound was loud and throbbing, painful. Her reaction was a natural one—to scream.

Words from her father and mother clashed. Her mother was now holding her so tightly she could hardly breathe.

A whistling sound filled the air, and Electra turned her head at the sound of a splash just in time to see her father fall from the boat. Screaming filled the night as Electra was once again lifted up into her mother's arms. There was a sudden jolt and then she felt herself fall forward, strait into the water. The weight of her mother limply clinging to Electra forced her downward. She flailed, not knowing how to swim and unable to breathe. The turquoise sea engulfed her, slowly fading to black.

A small twinkle of light caught Electra's attention for a second. She could make out a pair of great big eyes peering at her, barely outlined in the murky water. The face that surrounded those eyes reminded Electra of one of a cat, but this one seemed much bigger and had fuzzy hair surrounding its head.

She could just make out it opening its great mouth, forcing a small current her way, before everything went completely black.


	2. The Piratess

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and of C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

The Piratess

Electra's eyes fluttered open, staring off into the darkness around her. The moonlight that was able to shine through her musty windows dully illuminated her room that was cluttered with trinkets she'd collected over the past ten years. She lay still in her bed, enjoying the comfort of it before she had to get up.

It had been another dreamless night, just like the countless ones before. Each night she closed her eyes, allowing the darkness to enchant her mind to sleep. And each morning she awoke feeling the same as she had the day before: insignificant and monotonous. Just like the plain wooden ceiling that lay overhead.

Sighing, she ran her hand over her face, rubbing the relaxed muscles and trying to wake them up. She hated mornings, though she never seemed to be able to sleep any later than normal. The pattern was more than likely due to habit than anything else. Electra would have rather stayed up later and slept in, but that wouldn't have happened. Finally giving in, she slowly forced herself into a sitting position, moving her legs over the side of the bed and standing up.

As time slowly gave into the morning, Electra found herself moving more easily. Moonlight was still glowing through the window by the time she had changed from her nightdress into her floor length skirt, silk shirt, and black corset. She had just finished strapping her boots before she opened her bedroom door and left the room.

The smell of salt in the air filled her nostrils and she smiled slightly. Starlight glistened against the endless waves all around her. But no star illuminated the sea more so than the moonlight did. Electra took her time moving toward the boat deck edge, leaning against the banister and staring off into the east where a faint pink light signaled the arrival of the sun.

Sunrise was the one reason Electra tolerated waking up so early. Her hand absentmindedly fingered her necklace, the one thing she still had from her past. She couldn't remember anything before she was five years old. Not remembering early childhood wasn't uncommon, she knew, though Electra wished she could remember at least something.

The first memory Electra had was with her family, the one that raised her. To her, they were the best family she could have asked for, as her biological family had abandoned her before they took her in. It was because of them she had come to the point she was now in her life.

The sun had now cleared the horizon, cutting the sky in half so that stars still showed off in the western sky while the sun took over the eastern sky with oranges and pinks before turning into the purest baby blue.

Just in the west, Electra could make out a sliver of green land visible against the horizon as the sun rose higher. She knew the land belonged to the country of Archenland, ruled by King Lune.

Archenland was small, but not undefendable. It was surrounded by mountains that made invasion rather difficult, and a large desert bordered the south keeping the Calormens who lived beyond it at bay.

Despite the fact that the way Electra lived her life was completely frowned upon and considered barbaric, she considered the Calormens to be more barbarians than she ever could be. They willingly bought and sold black market goods that pirates brought to them with relish, handing over gold as if it were worth nothing at all.

In the far west past Archenland Mountains lay Telmar. Like Calormen, Telmar was also a huge country, willing to trade for stolen goods. Reaching them was much more difficult as they were not easily accessible to waterways. And to the north of Archenland separating Telmar from the sea lay Narnia.

Narnia. Electra breathed in deeply the salty sea air once again and dreamed of it all in all its glory. It hadn't always been glorious. Merely four years earlier the entirety of Narnia had been enchanted and forced into what seemed like an endless hell-filled winter. There had been no connection between Narnia and its surrounding areas and its rule over the Lone Islands had been completely broken. This surprised Electra as the White Witch had completely ignored the islands considering how evil and greed-filled the stories made out her to be.

Then four mysterious travelers made their way to Narnia and liberated it from Jadis. At first, the pirates of the Lone islands found this to be good news, as now their was a new country open to trade. It was soon made clear, however, that the black market was not welcome within the likes of Narnia.

And so the years passed and stories grew, mostly about the four Kings and Queens of Narnia, all who seemed to be about Electra's age. In her opinion that was a bit young to rule a country. She, however, was not going to argue with this decision, as it was said Aslan himself placed High King Peter and his three younger siblings into Narnia's thrones within the glorious castle of Cair Paravel.

Electra always had a deep unspoken respect for Aslan. The roots to this decision, though, bewildered her. However whenever she heard the name of the Great Lion said aloud, she always secretly thanked Aslan deep down for her life that she had. What she did with that life though he in return might not have been so proud of.

However, that was how she had been brought up: take what you can and you'll live comfortably. She had ignored the small voice in the back of her head, telling her it had been all wrong, because she had been taught to ignore it. She allowed her mind to float back to the thoughts of the four current rulers of Narnia once again.

Rumors had recently floated around in the streets and made those of the black market troubled. The governor of the Lone Islands was in the middle of negotiations with the Kings and Queens of Narnia. Words floated around and whispered of the possibility of the Lone Islands ecoming territory to Narnia once again. This meant higher taxes, but more importantly, a closer watch on anything illegal going on. That didn't mean the black market would close completely. Merchants would simply have to be more careful with what business they did.

Electra pulled her gaze away from the wide sea which she considered the only pure thing worth her attention and back to managing her one-man ship as another shore came into view: one of the three of the Lone Islands, Doorn, on which lay the popular city of Narrowhaven. It was the one place she considered home, save for the sea.

The small ship slowly approached the crowded dock as many other ships set sail to leave. Most of them were fishermen, setting out for the day's haul. Others were cargo ships leaving with exports for inland. Not one of them, however, Electra knew, was a pirate ship. At least anyone from her crew. They all had been called inland for a meeting. It was tradition they all spend the evening in Narrowhaven before setting sail. Electra only came for the entire day in case something was to arise.

The water became choppier the closer she came to the dock. While many of the ships were big and had to be pulled inward when they came close to the shore, Electra's personal one floated right up until it bumped gently against the wooden dock. One of the dock coordinators came directly over to her, followed closely by an personal attendant.

"Name?" he asked monotonely, holding a record book and a quill. His attendant reached out for a rope to tie up her ship.

"Electra" she replied, climbing onto the dock also replying in the same monotone voice.

"Visit or staying?" he asked, writing her name in the book. From up close, Electra could tell the book was rather old and the page crisping and withering.

"Staying," Electra replied again, pulling out a small pouch of currency coins from her belt. She knew that if they had her name and ship in the book, more than likely if something were to arise they were have record that she was in Narrowhaven instead of anywhere causing trouble. She pulled out two gold and six silver coins. It was robbery that they charged so much to simply dock a ship in the port. It was one of the few ways pirates were able to be taxed. Though they hated being charged, they never challenged the price for fear of being discovered.

The dock man took her money without question before leaving her alone with his attendant, a gesture Electra considered to be very rude and inconsiderate. Rudeness was not a rare thing to come upon her in the Lone Islands. But that didn't' stop Electra from being offended.

The difference between standing at sea and solid ground had taken its toll and finally passed. Electra moved up the wooden platform and onto the solid street, the heels of her boots clicking loudly beneath her.

The air was more constricting on the island, filled with the pollution from those who lived there. Electra had half of a mind to go back to her boat and head back out to sea, but she didn't. Instead she trekked through the crowded streets, past mercenaries who'd set up tents hoping to draw crowds with jingling pockets before their competition beat them to it. Electra easily tuned out the calls, only pausing when she changed her direction and headed down a darkened abandoned and almost invisible alleyway.

Two-thirds of the way down she finally stopped, turning to face a plain wooden door. There was nothing suspicious about it. Raising her hand, she sharply knocked twice. There was a soft scurrying behind the door before the peek hole opened and a pair of suspecting brown eyes peered out at her.

"What's your business?" the man behind the eyes asked.

"Long live the Kings and Queens of Narnia," Electra replied automatically.

There was a small pause before the peephole closed. Impatience grew slightly within her as metal locks clicked. The door finally opened, admitting her entrance into a cluttered front hall.

Electra silently moved past the guard and into the second, much larger room with a center table. Surrounding it were about three men and one other woman, all significantly older than Electra and drinking what she smelled to be ale. They were only a small portion of their much larger crew.

"Ah," one of the men said smiling, straitening up in his seat. His name was Alec, and since she had joined them he had always seemed to have a soft spot for her. In fact, he was more like a father figure than anything else. "Here she is now. We were wondering when you were going to arrive."

"I didn't expect all of you to be here this early," she replied, taking her seat around the table. It was odd all of their group would already be here; usually she was the first one to arrive in their safe point.

"Coincidence," one of the women, named Veil, replied, a drunken smile smeared across her face. Electra would have wrinkled her nose in disgust as the awful smell of her breath found its way across the room. She wasn't simply drinking ale. She was also drinking hard whiskey, something Electra made sure to steer clear of. She had had an encounter with the drink once and vowed to stay away from it. She didn't refuse the ale when a mug was passed down to her. Raising it to her lips, she drank deeply of the liquid, allowing the hard taste to flow down her throat. Almost instantly she felt her muscles begin to relax.

"You drink to lightly," Alec said with a smile, pushing another mug in Electra's direction. "How can you expect to become a real pirate if you can't drink like one."

"A pirate must have her wits about her," Electra replied to Alec, simply drinking in small amounts from her own mug and completely disregarding the second one she had been offered. "Especially tonight."

"You're no fun," another, Damin, observed, taking her offered ale and downing it himself. Electra resisted the urge to roll her eyes and simply stayed silent.

"Smart was always better than alcoholic," Veil replied, downing her whiskey once again, her head bobbing slightly with her words. "I was never one for smarts."

"Hence why you're over-drinking," Alec laughed, pulling in Veil closer into a more than friendly embrace. It was common knowledge that Veil and Alec were an item. They were the ones who had looked after Electra since she was little until she had grown into the sixteen year-old young woman that sat before them.

"Make sure you get a good sleep before this evening," the third man, who happened to be Damin's brother Darit, told Electra with a wink. "It's going to be wild."

Electra still didn't understand the point of the night before going out. She saw it as simply drawing attention to them and couldn't see it as a celebration. They hadn't stolen any loot yet; what if something went wrong? It would have then seemed like a waste of good ale.

"Thanks for the tip," she replied, feeling much more relaxed and unable to recall anything that had crossed her mind before she entered the small house. Electra knew she was a lightweight, and she'd have to retire before she drank any more. She could save the rest for later.

"You're not even going to finish it?" Alec asked, sounding a bit disappointed with her. Electra frowned, shaking her head. Alec wanted her to really fit in with their crew, and not simply some eye-candy tag along.

"I'll finish it for her," Damin replied, taking her mug and draining the rest in one gulp. Electra had seen him drink countless times and not get the least bit intoxicated by the substance.

"I just don't want to overdo it before tonight," she replied, standing up and feeling her head spin a bit before her light headedness went away.

"Like you'll really drink any more than you usually do," Damin replied with a chuckle, already pouring himself another glass.

"You know you're buying the alcohol next time," Veil said, eyes glowering at him for teasing Electra. She considered her to be a daughter and didn't allow anyone to make fun of any of her family.

"You buy your own whiskey," he mumbled into his cup.

Electra let out a huff of a laugh before moving up the stairs, situated in the back of the small room and heading up to the sleeping chambers. It too was a small room filled with straw mattresses that lay lumpy on the floor. She moved over to the corner most one and lay down already feeling a headache coming on.

Sleeping on a straw bed wasn't the same as sleeping in her bed on the ship. The gentle rocking of the waves against the boat soothed her to sleep. Here, strands of straw poked through the sheets against her skin. The smell of dust from the earthen floor was more than hard on her lungs, and wasn't as mind clearing as the salty air of the sea. And her new headache wasn't helping at all. The ale, however, did help her muscles to relax.

An non drowsy yet tired state of mind befell her. She thought back to Alec and his words back downstairs. Electra felt a bit disappointed in herself a he had been with her for not even being able to finish one mug of a drink. She was grateful he had let the situation go so quickly, as he always did.

Alec was more than a father to her; he was her best friend. He had taught her how to handle a sword since she was able to hold one. He had taught her how to recognize the weakness of merchants and use that to her advantage when making deals with them. Basically everything she needed to know if she ever had to survive on her own. And it angered Electra that she couldn't even finish one mug of ale.

Electra sighed untying her boots to see if that would make any difference in whether she would be able to fall asleep or not. A small knife clattered softly to the ground as she took off her left one. She snatched it from the ground and tossed it into her boot so she wouldn't loose it.

Alec had given her that knife when she turned ten as a precaution for when he couldn't be around her. And to that day it was also her one weapon she had with her here. She always left her sword here in the safe point house so she wouldn't look suspicious walking around with a sword at her belt. She also decided to take her corset off, as it was doing little good while lying on the bed.

Once free of her shoes and corset, Electra lay back down, staring at the ceiling and finding herself much more comfortable than before, though still just as worried. She allowed her worries to drift off as the effects of the alcohol took affect of her once again and influenced her into another dreamless sleep.


	3. A Night of Fate

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

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A Night of Fate

Electra let out an exasperated moan as darkness was shaken away from her and back to consciousness. A hand was on her shoulder, and a voice drifting toward her. Gently she opened one eye. Light had begun to face and an orange light filled the horizon through her window and gave the room an eerie light. The person shaking awake her had been Alec.

"Wake up, Electra," he whispered helping her into a sitting position. "The night has begun. It's time to have your wits about you."

"No more alcohol," she moaned in protest, rubbing her face and moving to put her shoes on. She was careful to slip the blade into her belt so that she would have easy access to it lest she need it. After her boots were securely tied, she put on her corset and stood to follow Alec.

By the time the five had left the building, they could hear the shouts and jeers of the many already beginning the celebratory ritual. To those who lived here, it was normal to hear jeers and shouts from drunken men. Electra knew better on this particular night though.

"You three have fun," Alec told her, Darit and Damin before wrapping his arm around Veil's waste and walking off down the road. Damin was soon to leave, followed closely by his brother, leaving Electra by herself. After a moment of looking around the alley, she chose her direction and began her walk.

Once in the open street, she noticed the night seemed to be more chaotic than it usually did. Men were stumbling around with filled mugs in their hands, slopping their drinks more than actually drinking them. Many of them, Electra noticed, weren't of her crew. Perhaps this night in general simply saw so many people celebrating because of the word that the Lone Islands might be joining the ranks of Narnia once again. Electra still wasn't sure whether or not she was completely thrilled about this idea.

A sharp wrist grabbed hold of her and pulled her to the right, and arm finding its way around her waist. A musty smell of whiskey filled Electra's lungs from the man who had suddenly grabbed her. Her hand had instantly flicked to her wrist, pulling out her dagger and shoving it enough against the man's stomach to provide him a warning.

"Let me go or I'll gut you like a fish," she growled. Her eyes seemingly blazed red with fury that a man would touch her in such a way, let alone a stranger. Life of piracy was filled with this, however, and she was used to it. She knew that when it came to fending for oneself, it was always a matter of life and death whether it be literal or metaphorically speaking.

The man let her go instantly, mind too jumbled to fight her. Electra took a step back, looking at him. He was strong and could have easily taken her had his mind not been muddled with the intoxication of alcohol. She also recognized him as one of the men who worked on their large crew. He would forget this incident by tomorrow, she knew.

She turned away from him, still disgusted he had touched her, and moved on down the crowded street. Her pirate demeanor was still on a high, as it was hard to get out of the character once she was in it. It was as though she were summoning another soul within her that took liberty upon itself to take over her mind and use it for its own will.

Many others passed her, watching her like she were some sort of prized thing to be put up on auction before seducing themselves with their whiskey once more. Electra ignored them as best as she could, but this night they seemed to be everywhere and not one alley existed that she could duck down and hide. An open shop door with a small glow coming from the window was a signal to her that she was welcome inside and took no time in ducking inside.

She slowly pushed the door closed behind her until only a crack of space remained between it and the wooden frame. Slowly she peeked outside, wanting to join in the celebration so as not to feel left out, but not wanting to be looked at like a regular whore.

"Wine?"

Electra spun to see an elderly woman standing in front of an auburn beaded curtain. Beyond that she could see the glow of several candles surrounding a small wooden table where in the center stood a crystal ball.

Electra hadn't noticed she'd stepped into a fortune teller's hut. Usually she avoided places such as this because the gypsies who lived here took peoples money faster than pirates.

"I should be going," Electra said, beginning to pull the door open to leave.

"But you're on time," the woman replied. Electra turned to face the woman again. She had an heir about her that was a bit off. She knew the woman was trying to get to her money, and wasn't about to have any of it.

"I'm not interested in anything, I don't have money," she lied convincingly.

"I didn't ask you for any," the woman replied, turning to move through the beaded curtain before sitting down at the table. She sat as though she were waiting for Electra to join her, quietly and patiently. Electra knew these things were stupid, and it was impossible to tell the future, with the exception of maybe Aslan. However, the woman had said this was free, and Electra thought it better to amuse her rather than become eye candy for the drunken bastards outside.

"Wine?" the woman repeated, already pouring two glasses as Electra pushed past the hanging beads.

"I suppose," she replied, sitting down opposite the woman and taking the glass. The taste was delicious, more spiced than something that one would drink just to be intoxicated. It also tasted a bit watered down, as though this woman expected her to be here.

"I am Agatha," the woman said, her cup already drained and set aside. "I've been waiting for you: the dark wanderer of worlds."

Interesting title to be given, Electra thought. She wasn't that surprised Agatha would have said she was expecting her. Most of the frauds usually said something along the lines to make these visits and visions more mysterious. And by worlds, Electra suspected she meant the different countries of the world.

"If you say so," she replied pushing her cup aside as well. "So, what can you tell me about my future? Any huge piles of gold there?"

It had meant to be a joke, the fortune; however Electra knew hearing this woman say something about gaining a lot of gold within the next few days her spirits would be heightened a great deal.

"You seek a treasure more powerful than gold," Agatha replied, staring at her directly as though seeing into her soul. Electra's grin faded, slightly unnerved by the way Agatha being stared at her.

Agatha then picked up a set of five dice, each with a different number of sides before allowing them to roll onto the table. Electra watched with heightened interest and curiosity as three of them landed with a one up, each at the edge of the table. A six landed almost in the center and the fifth landed on a three toward the left.

Electra watched the still dice in silence before glancing up at Agatha with a small impatience.

"So, what does it mean?" she asked.

"Thrice you defy death before your nineteenth," she replied. "Picking up the dice and placing them in a cup. "Richness lies in your blood and body, though you do not realize it. Your love will come at a cost to those you hold dear now, and your choice will change the course of history.

"By going one path, land will fall into darkness as it had four years prior to the White Witch. Chaos will run and you will help lead a great campaign for your people which will last many years, resigning in you dying old yet alone.

"If you choose the other path, the world will prosper, uniting kingdoms and bringing long lost peace between worlds. Love will fill your life unlike it has ever before. Yet with this choice comes a terrible price. You will die young and without a future."

A silence thick enough to suffocate filled the room. Normally Electra didn't believe in prophecies and the like, but she couldn't deny that the words of this woman frightened her, if only just. Never before had she heard someone talk about the future so surely and without the added mystic expressions. If Electra didn't know better, she would have said this woman was for real.

"I'm going to 'cheat death' three times?" she asked, a small strain in her voice. What exactly did Agatha mean, cheat death? Electra, despite her being a pirate and the idea of death was just around every bend, didn't necessarily like it being told to her.

"No," Agatha replied. "You already have once. You will escape death twice more."

Electra couldn't believe this. Was Agatha saying she was going to narrowly escape death two times? She quickly racked her brain, wondering when she could have possibly cheated death once before. Sure, there were some close calls when merchants aboard vessels fought back for their freedom before being overpowered, but nothing close to the idea of 'cheating death.'

Then she remembered Alec telling her how she had been found: floating a drift a piece of nailed board like a small platform at her young age, completely unconscious and not breathing. Her skin had been blue and lungs filled with water. Somehow, they had revived her and here she stood for all to see. Electra slowly stood from her chair, staring disbelievingly at the woman.

"How could you know that about me?" she asked slowly.

"I know many things about you, Electra," she replied, making Electra's muscles size up involuntarily. "You are not of this world."

"I don't remember giving you my name," Electra mumbled, thinking back to when she first entered the shop. From everything she remembered, she hadn't given Agatha her name.

"Your love will be unexpected, and will draw your decision that will change history," Agatha continued, ignoring her now. "Beware, for what you do with your love will make your path harder or easier for you."

Instinct told Electra to run, but something kept her put. Slowly, she lowered herself back into the chair.

"Who will it be?" she asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"Your love will be unexpected, and will draw your decision that will change history," Agatha repeated, still ignoring Electra. "Beware, for what you do with your love will make your path harder or easier for you."

Electra's temper began to rise. "Yes," she replied, "I got that the first time. But can't you tell me who it is?"

"No," Agatha informed her. "Nor can I tell you where you truly come from. All of these things you must learn for yourself."

Electra didn't care about her past history that still remained behind a locked door in her mind. What worried her was this mystery man in her future that could change the course of history. Or so Agatha said, she quickly reminded herself. Yet she already knew Electra's name and how she had cheated death once before, what if she was a true seer?

Electra's choice pretty much made up history. If she stayed with the man, things would be good. But what if she really didn't love him? There was also the idea that she was going to die young.

Yet if she didn't chose him she'd live a good life and old, yet alone. Both had their ups and downs, and she wasn't sure at this point which she would have preferred: a long life without love or a short one with it.

"Do not dwell on what is to be now," Agatha told her, seeming to read her dazed expression that resulted from her brooding over these topics. "You will make your choice when the time comes."

"But what if I make the wrong choice and don't realize it?" she asked. "What if I mean well but completely destroy history?"

"A right choice cannot be made in advance," Agatha told her. "You must make it when the time comes to make it."

Electra wasn't sure if she liked this bit of news. She quickly shook her head, resigning to remain with the same attitude as she did when she walked in. This woman only knew her life by coincidence. Darit or Damin was probably playing a trick on the off chance she accidentally walked in here. In fact, she tried to make herself believe, she wouldn't have been surprised had they come out of one of the wardrobes now, laughing their heads off.

"For your trouble," she said, throwing two silver coins onto the table for Agatha.

"But you don't believe me," Agatha resigned, leaving the coins where they were on the table. Electra shook her head, and in response she sighed. "It is probably better that way."

Electra quickly pushed past the bead curtain and back into the main room. She had to force herself not to look back in fear that she would stay and try to listen to more of Agatha's words. She opened the door and quickly walked out of the store, allowing the door to close behind her.

Moon had fully risen and stars glittered as though dancing from the heavens. It was a cloudless night, filling the streets with more than enough light without the aid of the street lamps.

The streets were still filled with drunken men and women alike. Women who made a living by seducing drunken men for their money and pleasure were beginning to wander the streets, taking advantage of this particular night.

Electra moved down the street, doing her best to ignore her surroundings, yet still disgusted by the fact that the people were willing to go so far before retiring to a hotel room. More so, she was annoyed that the whores who littered the streets and were willing to give themselves away so easily. She had heard the stories of the degree a lust of a pirate could get, and that was one area she was hoping not to venture toward in the near future. At least, not unless it was on her own terms.

Soon enough, her surroundings were beginning to take their toll, pushing aside her more innocent state of mind and bringing forth the piratess in her. To that sub-consciousness, all these things were second nature. To the cat calls, she was now devilishly smirking at them, teasing that they could look, but not have what they desired so much.

She finally opened the door to a pub, entering with the same demeanor as she had on the street, gazing around before she spotted Darit and Damin sitting at a far booth. Damin was already so drunk that he was snoring loudly with his head on the table. Darit glanced up at Electra as she sat next to them.

"You're late," he laughed, slurring his words slightly. "Damin's already sleeping."

"I can fix that," she replied wickedly, picking up Damin's empty mug and pounding it down on the table. The noise jolted Damin awake. Darit was laughing so hard he almost fell out of the chair.

"There's the Electra we know and love," he said with a grin, gripping her shoulder affectionately. "I was wondering where you'd got to when you arrived."

"It takes me a bit to get into the mood," she replied before turning to Damin. "Are you awake?"

"You could have just shaken me or something," he replied, rubbing his temples.

"Takes away half the fun. Where's Alec?" Electra asked him. "He has my sword and the moon's already high in the sky, we're leaving soon."

"I think he and Veil were going to have some alone time before heading to the ship," he replied, squinting at me. "Is it really time already?"

"We might as well head out. We can sleep there in the brig," his brother nudged him before standing, staggering a bit in the process.

"Sooner rather than later when you're drunker," Electra replied, standing but making no effort to help the two of them. "I'm not carrying either of you. You're walking."

Damin followed Darit in standing, though taking more time due to his hangover.

"You'll at least need to lead the way," Darit said, holding onto his brother for support. Electra knew the two were destined to tip over at least a dozen times on their way out.

"I wouldn't do that to you," she replied. "I'm not that evil."

The two brothers slowly made their way to the front door, led by Electra. Like she had predicted, the journey was slow and a good hour later, in what normally would have taken ten minutes, they arrived at the row of rowboats that lined the beach shore on the far side of the island.

It was a more desolate cove, one where hardly any boat could reach the shore due to reefs and the shallowness of the water. The rowboats were going to take them to the mother ship, where they would set sail right as dawn broke the horizon.


	4. The Nomad

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

The _Nomad_

By the time the small rowboat Electra, Darit and Damin had taken had crossed the misted waters and reached the large ship, piratess mode had completely taken over Electra's state of mind. She watched the great pirate ship, the _Nomad_, loom closer and closer into view; the large sails slightly sagged as there was no breeze to carry them. It was too magnificent to have belonged to pirates, but she didn't care whether or not it should have belonged to them. The fact was that it did and she was back out at sea on one of the grandest ships to have sailed it.

Electra led the climb up the ladder and onto the deck. A pair of hands grasps hers and helped her over the railing. A glance upward told her that Alec had already gotten to the ship just as Damin had said; Veil wasn't with him though; Electra figured she must have been below deck. Once on the ship she brushed her skirt off and looked at him.

"My sword?"

Alec pulled a sword from around his back, handing it to her before moving to help Darit up. "I still don't understand why you don't carry it with you. You need to protect yourself."

"I have my dagger," She reminded him, wrapping the leather strap around her waste that he had used to carry her sword with. "And besides, I would look suspiciously like a pirate walking around with a sword attached to my belt."

"Too true," he gruffed, pulling Darit over the edge and handing him his sword before helping Damin.

Darit pulled out his sword, the silver metal glinting in the moonlight. He tested the weight, swinging it around. Electra moved away from the railing, her fingers tapping the hilt of her sword as she watched Darit. Alec and Damin were to too busy to notice her. Her muscles had tensed and her eyes sharpened, watching Darit's every move.

Darit finally turned and caught Electra watching him. He laughed, sheathing his sword as well. "I'd be stupid to challenge you while intoxicated."

"Pity," Electra replied. "I was looking for a good warm up match. But if you're afraid to be beat by a girl, then okay." She grinned as she watched this take effect.

"Whoa," he said. "I'm not afraid to be beat. I just don't think it would be smart for you to play when your opponent is a bit on the loopy side and might get over aggressive. But if a warm up match is what you want, be my guest."

He unsheathed his sword once more, taking his stance. Electra smiled, unsheathing her sword and putting on her innocent act. Alec watched them closely.

"I'll go easy," Electra said aloud in sarcasm. Though it looked directed at Darit, it was for Alec for him not to worry about the two of them sparring on the deck.

"Damin," Alec said, "go below deck and get some rest. Sleep the drinks off. I want to watch this. See how much better the two of you have gotten."

The two of them moved toward the middle of the deck, beginning to circle one another while doing so. Electra watched every detail, how he gripped his sword, how he moved, when and how he shifted his weight. All of this information was needed to ensure her victory in this spar.

Before she could blink he attacked. It was only seconds she had to react, but it was enough. She raised her sword, blocking it with the blunt side so metal crashed upon metal with a sound that rang through the night. She quickly countered his attack, putting more force into it and pushing him slightly off balance.

Darit was a good fighter, even when intoxicated, but he was no match for Electra who had been taught, since she was old enough, to fight with a sword. She knew how to use opponents' weaknesses against them once they were found. Already knowing Darit's weaknesses was a bonus.

Pushing past his defense Electra made a swift movement around Darit, playfully hitting him in the ass with the blunt side of her sword. He let out an annoyed growl before attacking her again. Once again, she was ready and easily blocked his attack. In one movement, she circled her sword around, disarming him. Simultaneously, she curved her toe around his heel and pushed him forward, knocking him to the ground.

"I give!" he announced, holding up his hands in surrender, eyes slightly wide in fear. Electra watched him with a triumphant gleam in her eye. She slowly backed off, sheathing her sword in the process before picking up his and handing it back to him. He took it quietly before standing up.

The sound of someone clapping made them pause. It wasn't coming from Alec's direction. Electra turned to see a bearded man with a large hat and several yellow teeth grinning and clapping to her. It was the captain of the _Nomad_, Tritan. Electra held in a scowl and turned away from him. He always seemed to be watching her from where ever she was.

"Marvelous," he growled softly approaching the two of them. "It's good that we have some men, and women, aboard this ship who can fight." He stopped right beside Electra, so close that he was clearly in her peripheral vision. "I'll be watching you a bit more closely from now on, Electra."

"I'm not sure whether to find that comforting or frightening, Captain," she replied, looking right at him.

"Oh, very comforting," he replied. "One with talents as you have isn't going to have a chance of a better life if the captain doesn't take interest in her." Electra could feel him looking her up and down, almost sizing her up.

"Captain, more boats are approaching," Alec said, interrupting their conversation, much to Electra's pleasure. "It seems the crew is arriving."

"And on time as well," he replied, still watching Electra. "We're about to set sail for the open sea."

Electra took that time to move away from him and down toward the brig. Soon the ship would fill and she could worry about how the other men stared at her occasionally rather than the captain, for his presence worried her more than the rest.

It was only natural she would be stared at; there were only three women on the crew. Veil was one of them, and she was taken by Alec. The other was Trinity. She was more willing to be passed around from hand to hand as though she were some sort of possession that was to be shared by the lot of them. Though she sufficed for the time, it was only natural the men would get bored with her and turn their sights to Electra. Men always wanted what they were told they couldn't have.

However much they wanted her, they never made a move. Her reputation of being able to take care of herself preceded her very well on this ship. It was one of the reasons the captain took so much interest in her. He had an eye for feisty women.

One of the few reasons Electra stayed was Alec; she knew he'd look after her. The other was the horror of being an outcast pirate. You were constantly on the run in fear of being hunted down. One who left the crew was doomed to hell if they were caught. If they weren't, the pirates of the _Nomad_ were in danger of being told out on.

Electra had recently seen what had happened to one who had run away and again been caught. He had been humiliated in front of the entire crew, stripped down to his undergarments before chained to a cannonball and thrown overboard in the middle of the wide and deep sea, far away from watching eyes or land. It was a fate that Electra was not fond of running from, and therefore steered clear of any thoughts of leaving the crew.

She reached the first level under the deck and heard loud snoring echo inside the wooden vessel, a clear sign that Damin had already fallen asleep. The sound of footsteps echoed from the top of the stairs and Electra spun around, hand on the hilt of her sword in case someone tried to attack her. It was Darit.

"You should get some sleep," he said. "It's going to be a long journey."

"Do you know where we're headed?" she asked, following him to the direction Damin's snoring was coming from.

"Do we ever?"

In the cot next to Damin lay Veil, already sound asleep with a small smile plastered on her face.

"I wonder why she's so happy," Darit remarked sarcastically, settling down on his hammock above Damin and looking back at her.

"I'm not looking for specifics," Electra remarked, situating herself in her own sleeping space, not bothering to take off her boots this time. A soft snore told her Darit had already fallen asleep, probably without hearing her comment. She smiled to herself as he set his new record of how fast he fell asleep.

The sound of footsteps sounded overhead as more crew members filled the ship. A high and haughty laugh sounded over all these noises, signaling Trinity's arrival as well. Feeling a bit drowsy, Electra turned over in her bed, quickly falling asleep without realizing.

When she awoke the ship was rocking more than it had been, signaling they were now far out at sea. There was commotion around her, making her wonder what exactly it had been that had awoken her.

"SHIP AHEAD!" a loud voice shouted above the deck. This must have been why everyone was hurrying around. The space was completely filled with the majority of the crew, about fifty in all. Electra quickly moved along with the others and up to the deck.

The sharp breeze almost blew her flat against the deck, but she stayed upright, moving toward the railing. Electra peered over the side toward the front of the boat. There, heading in the same direction, though the _Nomad_ was slowly catching up to it. It was a merchant ship, holding no more than twenty crew members. One glance around told her no land was in sight, and the sailors soon to be victims were beyond help.

Pirate mode had returned once more and Electra's insides spun with the delight of what goods could be found within the vessel of the ship. Not to mention the crew would be worth decent gold. Sailors always were; they were strong and knew how to follow orders. Usually they were not missed, but simply said to be lost at sea when they were taken to be slaves. A small portion of her felt pity for them, but that soon was smothered by her pirate subconscious.

"Prepare to board!" the captain's shout was heard over the ruckus of the crew. Electra leapt into action moving over to the opposite side of the ship they'd be boarding, grabbing one of the ropes that hung loosely from the masts.

The _Nomad_ easily caught up with the merchant ship. Electra could read the painted name on the back: _Tempest Maid_. Unfortunately the ship would exist no longer after they raided it.

Taking over the crew was all too easy. Upon coming next to the ship, the majority of the crew swung over on ropes, as did Electra. The sailors surrendered without much fight, though there was one or two that stood their ground. They were easily overtaken, however, as it was always unwise to cross blades with a pirate.

The sailors were moved over to the _Nomad_ with little trouble. Electra was at least thankful, though she hid it well, that on this ship there were no women riding along as well.

The sailors were then locked in the brig for safe keeping, anything potentially dangerous taken away from them. Afterwards the crew looted the entire ship, taking anything they could get their hands on: gold, food, ale, weapons, spices, and everything else that was being carried on the merchant ship. Most of the oil that was found the men drenched the ship with before it was burned in the middle of the sea and left for nothing.

After they were well on their way, Electra moved down to the dungeon cells where the prisoners were being held, choosing not to participate in the arguing over what items went to which men to sell for profit. Several scared eyes met hers as she entered the haul. She wasn't sure why she came down here, but she somehow always found more comfort trying to talk to the scared prisoners, attempting to ease their worries.

"Where are you taking us?" one of them asked, she presumed to be the captain.

Electra recognized the accent to be that of Archenland. Usually they were the ones that were unfortunate enough to become victims to our treachery and were sold to Calormen.

"Calormen," she responded. She didn't need to say another word, as every one of them knew what happened there.

"Release us," one of the other men pleaded. "We meant no harm. We just were doing our job and wished to go home."

"If I released you," Electra replied, "not only would I be thrown overboard like a piece of garbage, the lot of you would never see your homes again. You'd be killed rather than sold. At least sold you have a life and a chance to be released back to your families."

"How can a lady such as yourself simply stand by and watch all this happen?" the captain asked her. "Could you not find it in your heart to at least do something than watch?"

Electra watched him, eyes narrowed. She was slightly torn at his helpless gaze from behind the rusting bars.

"I'm a pirate," Electra responded without emotion. "I have no heart."

With that she turned and moved back up the stairs and to the large room where everyone slept. She knew it better than to keep company with the prisoners, as it would be harder to sell them off if she got close to one of them.

The words of Agatha rangin her ears and mind once again, that she would fall in love and a decision concerning him would change everything. While before she found the seer to be terrifying, Electra now saw the entire situation of what Agatha told her what would happen to be impossible.

She was a pirate, incapable of love because her heart was blacker than the night sky when the stars refused to appear and left the people of the world alone. That was Electra's cursed future.

However, a small voice in her head reminded her, how would she have known all of that about her past? How she had escaped death? Her name? There had to be more than met the eye in that situation.

Coincidence, the first voice confirmed. It was all nothing but coincidence.

Electra soon found herself back at her cot and lying down. She knew that because she was not one of the ones arguing about who got what supplies from the ship; she would be taking the sailors down to the dock to be sold. Electra hated being one of the ones who sold off people as though they were animals, but not doing so didn't help her reputation with the captain and the other crew men.

Time slowly passed onward as the battle between Agatha had meant, conflicting with the idea that she was simply and old loon, raged onward. It was like what happens when a dog discovered its tail. It would continue to chase it in a never ending circle despite its inability to actually catch it.

Electra shook her head in attempt to rid herself of these thoughts, as they were doing little more than giving her a headache. Instead she concentrated on the ceiling, listening for any sound of anyone calling the crew to come to the deck.

No such call came, though, and time continued onward as the _Nomad_ continued onward toward the docks of Calormen, the land that held the fates of all the doomed sailors below. Despite what little words of encouragement she had tried to express to them, Electra personally couldn't think of a worse fate than becoming a slave.

The thought made her laugh. A slave was one who was a dog to their master, unable of leaving and condemned to them for the rest of their life. It was a parallel life to Electra, bound to the _Nomad_ for all of her days, destined to serve the captain along with the crew from behind invisible chains.


	5. The Sons of Calormen

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

The Sons of Calormen

The day went by all too fast for Electra, and soon enough she was back on the deck watching the approaching shore of Caloremen. All the sailors had been brought to the deck as well, now shackled with chains so escape was futile.

The ship docked with little trouble. All of the men that littered the dock were dark-skinned Calormens, many looking up at the ship with an evil grin. They recognized our ship and knew us coming meant fresh slaves they could bid on. Electra kept her eyes ahead as htey unloaded, refusing to meet the eyes of the men behind us or those on the street. She could stand herself being thought of as a pirate, but slave trader made her feel a bit inhumane.

Electra led the slaves and about ten of her armed crewmen, including Alec and Veil, through the streets. The slaves didn't try to run away, it appeared her warning earlier in the brig had kept them from attempting to escape, and she was glad.

The slave auction platform had a few men there when they arrived, but gathering crowds soon joined in. Electra couldn't believe how Calormen brought up its sons and daughters, thinking buying humans as though they were common house pets, was a way of life. Even more so, bidding on them was a sport to the men. No woman ever came to the auction.

Electra approached the auctioneer first. "I believe we have some goods for you." She didn't like talking about the men like this, but the pirate in her was taking control once again.

The Calormen looked at her, sneering at her up and down before spitting to the ground. "I don't make business with women such as you."

Her eyes glowered, flashing slightly. Her hand was on the hilt of her sword. "I'd be hard pressed for you to speak to a pirate in anyway but that," she growled. "And if you won't take them, I'm sure we can find another auction house to do so for us."

"If you're a pirate, where's your mark?" he asked.

Electra faltered. Every pirate aboard the _Nomad_ had a brand on their wrist, except for her. This was usually because they waited until they were seventeen, if they even waited that long. Alec stepped up this time, pushing up his sleeve to reveal the branded "P" on his wrist just above his palm. Electra growled, fingers still drumming on her sword hilt. It was a good thing to be branded when it came to business; slave traders and merchants of the black market knew that to rat them out would also be to condemn oneself. Not being branded meant you couldn't be trusted, yet.

"Why am I doing business with this wench then," he asked Alec.

Electra's rage skyrocketed. In an instant her sword was out and against the slave trader's throat. His eyes grew wide in horror. Electra could feel the tension in the air and Alec's hand on her shoulder.

"Would you like to say that again?" she asked her eyes flashing dangerously.

The man glanced around before his eyes fell back upon Electra. "You're quick with a blade," he commented. She could tell he would have been impressed had he not been terrified for his life.

"Electra," Alec warned softly, his grip tightening on her arm. Eyes still flashing, she pulled the blade away from his neck, but didn't quite sheath it yet. Her hands were still itching to gut him open for what he had just called her. Electra had absolutely no respect for the men of Calormen, as they had no respect for women, no matter where they were from or what rank they held. The wife of the Tisroc could have been nothing more than a whore on the street, save for the fact that she belonged solely to the Tisroc and no one else.

"What's your offer?" the slave trader asked, turning back to Alec. This angered Electra all the more. He had just been threatened and he was still treating her as though she were trash.

"Seventy-five," she replied. Both men turned to her, the slave trader angry with her for interrupting and Alec astounded she would make that offer. No one had ever tried to go over sixty, and starting at seventy-five percent was pushing it.

"What do you take me for?" the man asked. "A fool you can just steal from? Without me, you wouldn't be able to sell any one of your prisoners."

"And without us you wouldn't have any business," she snarled right back, shaking Alec off her. "So it's seventy-five percent or we're going somewhere else. You don't have much time to decide, your crowd is beginning to grow impatient."

There was a small pause as the slave trader considered her proposal. It lasted about five seconds before Electra turned her back, prepared to tell everyone to find elsewhere.

"Seventy-five," he agreed grudgingly. "These slaves better sell for as much as you think they will."

Electra didn't respond, instead she rudely kept moving, a small smirk growing on her face. The other crewmen pushed forward the first of the slaves. Alec grabbed hold of Electra's arm again.

"Come with me," he said, pulling her down the street.

Electra didn't know where they were going, but knew that since all the crewmen had heard the new price of seventy-five percent, they would be keeping an eye on how much each of the men sold for.

"I can't believe you did that," he said, continuing to pull her along. "No one's ever been able to make him go above sixty before. I'm impressed Electra."

"I suppose no one's held a blade to his throat either," she replied, attempting to pull herself from his grip. "I can walk myself."

He loosened his grip, but still did not release her. Electra glanced around, knowing the street well as she had been there countless times before, but not knowing where exactly they were headed. They didn't stop until they arrived at a blacksmith shop.

"What are we doing here?" she asked glancing around.

"We don't want there to be any more trouble," he replied. Electra didn't need him to elaborate to know that he had taken her here to get her branded. It wasn't as though she knew it wasn't going to happen eventually, she just would have liked a little forewarning.

"Do we have to do this now?" she asked. "I'm still good for walking around without a brand and being caught."

"You saw the way the Calormen wasn't about to do business with you because you weren't marked," he replied. "We're doing this now."

Electra stayed put as he went to the back to get the blacksmith, a bit uneasy at the idea of being in pain. Then again, she wasn't sure she knew of any person who actually liked being in pain.

Alec came back out with the man, who was a Calormen, but didn't look at her in the same way other Calormens, or men for that matter, did. It was a bit off. She looked at Alec suspiciously.

"He brands all of us," Alec replied, coming over to reassure her. "It won't be as bad as you think."

Electra wanted to trust him, needed to trust him, if she was going to go through with this. If she didn't, she was as good as dead anyway. She took a deep breath.

"I'm ready."

The two led her into the back room where the black smith held all of his tools. Electra sat at the table holding out her left arm, palm up, feeling herself shake a bit. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep put as he approached with the hot brand.

As though reading her mind, Alec came over and held her around her stomach and her arm down to the table with force she didn't know he had.

"It's better if you close your eyes," he replied. "Then your muscles won't tense up when you see it coming."

Electra did as she was told, even going as far as placing her head on the table and biting down on her lip. Her loss of vision, however, didn't keep her from hearing his soft footsteps on the earth as he approached, nor the sizzle of the hot iron. Her muscles automatically tensed and she quickly tried to think of something to relax herself.

Before she could think of anything, however, white hot metal met her lower forearm with a pain she had never felt before. Her automatic reaction was to run and scream, but screaming was as far as she got. Alec was doing his job of firmly holding her down, and was now whispering soft words in her ear.

"It's almost over, Electra" he whispered. "It's alright."

The brand was already gone from her arm, but the pain was still there. Hot tears ran down her cheeks and she tasted blood from how hard she had been biting down on her lip. Slowly she looked up, her flesh raw with the burn. Alec quickly moved her over to a large basin and slowly forced her arm into the water.

Electra let out another howl of pain, once again trying to flee but finding it impossible to do so. Her eyes wandered to the blacksmith, who was cooling his brand in a bucket of water looking as though he had done little more than sharpen a sword. Electra cursed him for his entire life and eternity. It would have been better if he had looked evil, but how innocent he had seemed before made everything all the worse.

"I hate you right now," she said through clenched teeth as the pain of her flesh touching the water intensified all the more instead of numbing down in the slightest.

"I know," he replied. "But you had to have it done. Better now than later."

"You could have warned me it was going to hurt so much," she said wincing as she looked down at her arm. There were tiny cuts around the edge of the brand where her skin had broken and were bleeding into the water.

"You knew it was going to hurt already," he replied, slowly lifting her arm out of the water.

Electra couldn't argue with that, but that didn't make it any better that he didn't warn her at all. If he had, she might have felt a bit kinder toward him at the moment, while right then all she wanted to do was knee him in the gut for making her go through with it.

Slowly Alec wrapped her branded arm in a cloth with some sort of leaves. The pain decreased a small fraction and began to tingle.

"What are those?" Electra asked, indicating the leaves.

"Pyrince leaves," he replied, tying her bandage off. "They're the same species of plant as the Fireflower, only they don't heal exactly. They will, however, take away a bit of the pain and prevent infection."

Electra nodded, taking her arm back and looking it over. "Thank you," she said before cocking her free arm back and punching Alec strait in the jaw. The force wasn't strong enough to make him keel over, but he did stumble. He rubbed his face, spitting in the ground a small bit of blood.

"I suppose I deserved that," he said, looking back at her. He wasn't smiling or happy about being punched, but she could tell that he did forgive her.

"Damn strait," she replied, slowly grazing her fingertips over the bandage. It was odd thinking that beneath the folds of cloth lie a mark that she could never be released from. Unlike prisoners who could be released from shackles, she could not be released from this one.

"Don't fuss with it," Alec said, taking her right wrist and pulling it away from the bandaged one. "If anyone asks you, you cut your arm."

"On what, pray tell?" she asked.

"Glass," he replied. He put his arm around her in a fatherly way, taking his free hand to place a few silver coins on the table before escorting her out.

"And if they ask for a story?" she asked glancing around at everyone, probably more paranoid at the thought of being caught now than before.

"Don't give one to them," he replied simply. "Since when have you ever felt the need to answer to anybody?"

Electra couldn't help but smile at this. Since when did she have to answer to anybody? She always had taken it upon herself since she was young, from Alec's teachings, that the only who could control her was the Captain. Save for him, she was a free woman to do and say as she pleased. It wasn't anyone's business what she had or hadn't done to hurt herself.

"What about the other crewmen?" she asked.

Alec let out a laugh. "I really doubt anyone, save for our small 'family,' would really take the time to ask. Veil, Darit and Damin, you can tell. The others, however, I would simply ignore and let find out for themselves."

"And the Captain?"

There was a silence that surrounded them as they continued on through the streets. Perhaps Alec hadn't heard her. She was about to repeat her question when he answered her.

"You want to stay on the Captain's good side. If he asks, and only if he asks, you should tell him." His grip on her arm tightened slightly. "It's important to show your loyalty to him. But do not tell him it was my idea. It was all yours. You decided you were ready to be branded. Remember, it shows you can be trusted with those who count."

Electra nodded, brooding over what he had just said. She knew that 'those who count' were the men they did business with and other pirates. On the other hand it was a red flag to those who kept the law in order, or at least tried to. She would have to be more careful than ever, now, to stay out of reach of them.

They arrived back at the auction house soon after. Three men had yet to be sold, and it seemed all of them had sold for a great deal of money. Slaves were always in popular demand, especially now. It seemed the Captain knew when to call in his crew when pricing was best. And since Electra had insisted on seventy-five percent rather than the usual sixty, he was to be more than pleased with that.

The captain always gained forty percent of what the crewmen gained, and the rest was divided up evenly among the people who went to the auction gained. Electra didn't bother with the math; as long as she got the money to support herself and live comfortably, she was happy.

From the twenty men they brought to the auction house, the small crew of pirates left with a sum of five thousand, six-hundred and fifty gold coins and seven hundred and thirty four silvercoins. It was enough sums to keep both the auctioneer happy with what money he kept and the pirates happy with what they left with. They arrived back at the ship, handing over the currency to the captain to divide himself. No one dared to divide the coins themselves in fear of being called out.

Electra, now free from the money and waiting for her share to be given to her, went back off the ship to walk though the streets. She knew the crew wouldn't leave just yet; they always waited until nightfall to set sail into the sea again.

It was different walking through the streets without having to think about the burden of walking around with slaves. She felt a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she could do as she pleased. Her thoughts were short lived as her name was suddenly called from behind her. She turned to see Damin headed her way, a look of worry on his face.

"Damin?"

"I found you," he gasped, leaning forward on his knees before straitening up to look at her. "I've been searching for you everywhere."

"Damin, what's wrong?" she asked. Just by the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes, she could tell that he had bad news to bear.

"It's Narnia," he replied. "The treaty's been made. They're now in control of the Lone Islands."


	6. Accord

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Accord

"That's it, we're done for. Everyone spend what you can now, because when we get back home, we're all going to be arrested and hung. Sell your ships, drink whiskey till you keel over. Watch the sunset and ships sink into the horizon taking in the beauty of it all before giving yourselves up to the Narnians. Perhaps then they will be more forgiving than if they hunted us down."

Veil took another deep drink of her whiskey after her small monologue before leaning her head on Alec's shoulder, who immediately wrapped his arm around her.

The five of them were sitting in a bar, drinking what might be their last free pint before they headed back to the Lone Islands.

They looked like a misfit grown family together. Alec: the fatherly figure looking at his children with a helpless protectiveness. Veil: a drunken mother sulking in her miseries. Damin and Darit: drinking deep from their mugs, trying hard to tone out the sounds of their mother's wailing. Electra: the youngest and too lost in thought to really pay attention. Anyone watching them would have glanced over and become entranced by how odd they all looked drinking together.

Electra was too entrapped in her own thoughts to think about anyone else at the moment. She was only sixteen and just branded. If she was caught, that was huge trouble for her. She had barely begun to live; she wasn't ready to die. She cursed Alec for not waiting to get her mark.

Had he waited she wouldn't have had to worry about going back to the Lone Islands and be called out as a pirate. Now she was in as much danger as anyone here. The only good side she could see from the situation was her age. Being as young a she was, she might have been given a second chance.

Had she been Alec or any of the others ages, then she would have been in huge trouble. True, she could go with the excuse that she'd try to change paths, but that excuse was over used and extremely frowned upon.

Deciding she could figure out what to do later, she turned her attention back to the table to hear what the others had to say about the situation. Perhaps she could find some hope, or at least some comfort in their words.

"Just because the Kings and Queens have taken ruler ship of Narnia doesn't mean things have to change," Darit argued. "They have too many other dealings with Archenland and Telmar at the moment. I even heard the giants in Ettinsmoor were giving them trouble. And there were some uprisings from the Witch's old followers. We're a mere thorn compared to them."

"But a thorn no less," Veil replied. "They'll not like us any more than the others. Besides, Archenland is more than happy to have Narnia as their allies after showing how strong they truly are with the defeat of Jadis. And Telmar is mostly neutral to everyone at the moment. Ettinsmoor and the uprisings are their only real problem at the moment. They won't have too much trouble turning their attention to us."

"But they don't know where we lie," Damin replied with a grin, much on the same side as his brother. "No one but the pirates themselves know exactly where the black market is located."

"They could shut down the entire market in the Lone Islands," Electra replied. "They have the power to do that now."

"They wouldn't dare," Alec replied, gently rubbing his hand up and down Veil's shoulder. The whiskey had finally put her to sleep. "The Lone Islands are too important as a trading center between Archenland, Narnia, and Calormen. Shutting them down is like shutting down the entire market in those three countries. It would ruin the economy, something the Narnians wouldn't want to do after only four years of ruling."

"Which is why we're safer than before," Darit continued. Electra glanced at him, skeptical of his declaration. He waved his hand for her to hear him out. "Archenland can't blame the Lone Islands for their lost sailors without blaming Narnia. It's a protection for us. Sure, they can say their men were lost at sea to pirates, but when they start pointing fingers at where the pirates are from, that's when we're safe."

"I'm sure the Narnians are just as willing to get rid of their pirate pest problem now as the Archenlanders," Electra replied, taking a swig of her wine. It was a bitter taste, different from the last time she had tasted it, but she still preferred it to ale and whiskey. For some reason it didn't overtake her senses as easily as they did.

"Perhaps, but not if we get the better of them first," Darit replied.

Electra and Alec glanced at Darit, who was sharing a smirk with Damin. Electra got a sinking feeling these two had been plotting something outside their small circle. It was a type of unspoken accord that they all speak to one another before making any rash decisions.

"What are you two up to?" Alec asked, watching the two of them severely. Like a father, he knew when his 'children' were up to no good and could easily spot unwanted trouble for miles. Especially with two boys such as Damin and Darit.

"Wake Veil up," Damin answered in a hushed tone, careful not to attract the attention of anyone else around. "The five of us need to be in on this together."

Alec watched them a second more before gently shaking Veil. She opened her eyes, looking around before sitting up, somewhat uneasily and glancing at her empty mug.

"We need to talk, Veil," Alec said to her, keeping a protective arm around her so she could still feel safe in her dazed state. "Damin and Darit have been up to something, and they won't talk to us about it unless you're in on the secret. Are you able to listen?"

Veil slowly straightened up nodding to Alec before turning to the two brothers, watching them closely. The look she gave them was one Electra could picture with a mother, about to listen to confessions of her wrongdoing sons before scolding and punishing them. As she didn't have a mother, she couldn't be sure whether or not her assumption was correct, but it was the best metaphor she could come up with.

"We have to agree that this does not leave the five of us," Darit spoke, softer so eavesdroppers would be hard pressed to listen further to their conversation. "An accord, that no matter what, what we are about to tell you does not leave this family."

"We can't go against our crew," Alec said sharply to the two of them. "We'll all be killed, not just the two of you."

"Which is why, if the five of us stick together," Damin reasoned, "we won't need to worry about that. We all know how to keep our silence; now we just have to do is do so from our captain. Our one law is to not betray our crew. We don't have to do everything under them."

This gave Electra a sinking feeling. Damin and Darit were obviously planning on doing something that had to do with stealing or the like. What exactly they were planning Electra didn't know, but it worried her. It had something to do with the Narnians, of that much she was sure.

"You're not planning of killing them, are you?" she asked with a suspicious eye.

"You were always smart, Electra," Damin said with a smirk. "Not only that, but do you realize how much money we could get off of the Kings and Queens of Narnia as slaves?"

"No!" Electra shouted, suddenly standing and glaring at the two brothers, her eye wild with fury. This was one line she would not cross. "We are not kidnapping them. That would not only be treason in the eyes of Narnia, but of Aslan himself."

"You're so superstitious," Darit remarked, though he could tell she struck a cord in him. Neither of them were as thinking of Aslan as she was, but it still shook them whenever she spoke of him.

"Superstitious or not," Alec replied, "Electra has a point. Despite your good idea of what good being rid of them could do for us, I am not going to risk my family for them. They are too well protected and will be expecting something like that from the rebels. It would be unwise to try to bring any sort of ill fortune upon them."

"But think of the gold," Damin protested. "So much gold. There's always a way around something like this. We can do it."

"Damin," Veil said sternly, "It won't happen. It's as easy as killing Aslan. The White Witch couldn't do it, and neither could you."

"That's a myth," Damin replied forcefully. "We have no proof he died, save for the word of the two Queens and that isn't enough proof. They'd do anything to keep power and prevent the people from rising against them."

"I've heard the Narnians are happy with their new rulers," Alec replied. "There would be little reason to throw them out after getting rid of the White Witch after one hundred years of her rule."

Electra knew this conversation was getting nowhere fast. Damin and Darit were pure blood pirates, always thinking about the result of a situation at its best before thinking through the entire plan. Alec and Veil were not as bad as the two, but she knew that if she didn't do something, they two would be dragged into this as well, as would she. If she didn't do anything.

"We don't have to kidnap the Kings and Queens," Electra finally spoke up interrupt what conversation they were still having.

"No, we don't," Damin replied, sounding exasperated. Electra could tell that he was a bit stubborn at the moment to be easily persuaded on the subject. "But-"

"Wait," Electra cut him off, "just hear me out."

Damin went silent and watched her closely, his brother doing the same. Alec was also watching Electra though with a more interested eye than the other two men. Veil listened closely, though Electra could tell she was on the verge of finally being convinced by Darit and Damin. Electra had to act fast if she had any chance of convincing any of them. If Veil was convinced, Alec would shortly follow. Electra couldn't go against her family, as bad of a feeling she had about it. If all four of them were to go through with it, so would she.

"Kidnapping them is too huge," Electra explained. "The crew of the _Nomad_ will get more than exceptionally angry at us. Especially the captain. They'll say we double crossed them by not consulting them about this, and then we'll be in huge trouble."

"So what are you suggesting?" Alec asked, encouraging her on.

"We might not be able to get away with kidnapping the Kings and Queens," she replied. It was important that she sound interested in Darit and Damin's original idea, or they would never go for this one. It was almost as dangerous, but nearly paid off for as much as the Kings and Queens would have. "But there is something we might be able to get away with if we planned it carefully."

"What's that?" Darit asked, the first of the two to seem to actually want to listen to what Electra had to say.

"Their gifts," Electra replied. "The gifts given to them by Father Christmas. Do you realize how much they could go for?"

"Not as much as they in person would have," Damin said grudgingly.

"But," Electra continued, "They could go nearly that high. Think about it. High King Peter's sword, the one that he used to fight the White Witch before defeating her in battle. Think of how much that could go for. And Queen Lucy's vial. It's contents heal any wound. It's almost too priceless to sell. It's a crime that is low enough the crew won't charge us for it, but one high enough that if it pulls through we'll be well paid. I guarantee it."

A silence filled the small booth as the four pondered over what Electra had just proposed. She could have sworn she could hear the gears turning in their heads as they thought about the possibilities they could have if this plan followed through. True, it had to be conducted carefully, but being caught for trying to steal was a much easier punishment than trying to kidnap. At least, Electra was sure it didn't involve torture.

"I don't give you enough credit," Alec told her. She could see in his eyes that he was proud of her for thinking up an idea that was such a good substitute for what Darit and Damin had originally planned.

"I like it," Darit replied, taking a drink from his mug until it was completely drained. Veil, next to Alec nodded approvingly. Damin even seemed to be willing to the idea.

"It might not be the best choice," he replied, "but good enough."

Alec then turned to Darit and Damin. "When exactly were you planning on originally kidnapping the Kings and Queens?"

"There's a masquerade ball in one week," Damin informed them. "It's a celebration for the unification of the Lone Islands and Narnia. We could easily slip in unnoticed or recognized and slip into the back and grab the treasures."

"It's a good thing we're not kidnapping the Kings and Queens," Veil commented. "They'd be easily recognized."

"Under masks?" Damin asked.

"They'll be wearing their crowns," Electra commented, seeing Veil's point right away. "I think one of the guards would easily notice fore people in crowns being dragged off against their will."

"But the treasures can be easily hidden," Alec commented with a smile.

Electra was proud that her family had gone for the change of plan, though she still felt uneasy about the idea of stealing from the Kings and Queens. It wasn't the same as raiding a ship at sea and selling the sailors for slaves. Somehow it was worse, much worse. She wondered what she had gotten herself into when she suggested this idiot plan.

"So, you're suggesting we go to the dance, uninvited, and just sneak past the guards and into their chambers to get the gifts?" Electra asked, dumbfounded.

"You're the one who came up with the idea," Damin replied. "Do you have a better idea?"

"No," she muttered grudgingly. "I just thought you might have come up with something smarter than that."

Damin glowered at her but didn't retort to her attack. "The dance is open to anyone," he said after a moment of silence. Electra glanced up; so Damin had thought this out better than she had expected. "They aren't going to arrest us for simply attending a party. Don't worry, we'll get in fine."

"And how are you expecting us to get out?" Alec asked.

"Some of us can leave out the front with the smaller items such as Susan's horn or Lucy's vial," Darit said. "The others are going to have to find another way out. It shouldn't be too hard; the castle is huge enough to have more than one entrance or exit."

"And if we get lost?" Electra asked folding arms. "I don't want to get caught with Susan's bow in the middle of a mazed castle."

"You can have Lucy's vial then," Damin replied, obviously getting annoyed by her attitude. "Look all of us have to be in on this together. The plan is out there, now we all have to be committed from this point forward. No half jobs. This could be the biggest payday we ever get."

"Not one of us gets left behind," Darit continued. "We're all in this together." He placed his right hand in the center of the table in a fist. Damin quickly grasped it in a firm grip, a sign that he was in on the deal. Veil was next to follow, and then Alec.

"Electra?"

Electra looked around at her four companions, her only family before slowly putting her hand in the center of the table. It was impossible for her not to be in on this now, as she had been the one to suggest the target.

"Good," Damin said with a smile, slowly pulling his hand away from the pile as the rest of them did. "Now, here's the plan."


	7. The Plan

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

The Plan

Electra had done many things before to prepare her for committing piracy. However, she could honestly say she never put on a dress and mask before one. It was as if she were pasting a huge sign on her that read 'I'm about to steal something.'

"I look ridiculous," she grumbled, turning to Veil.

"You look ready to go to a party," she replied, winding more golden leaves and thread into Electra's hair. "And besides, you deserve to dress up every once in a while with how beautiful you are."

That was probably a bit much, both adding the gold and Veil's comment of her being beautiful, but she didn't complain. It was once in a lifetime that Electra would have been able to attend a party fit for a king or queen, let alone the Kings and Queens of Narnia.

"Are you sure they'll be dressing up this much?" she asked, fussing a bit with her shoulder straps. She was glad the sleeves were long and tight, hiding her still sore wrist. However, them being as they were, she didn't have to wear a bulky bandage and asked what she had been injured for.

"Look at it this way," Veil replied, "If any of them ever see you again, chances are they won't recognize you without all of this. There, done."

"True," Electra replied. She moved away from Veil and in front of the mirror. At first she was shocked at the woman who stared back at her before she remembered it was herself. Electra had been dressed in a deep red and gold trimmed dress that seemed to bring out her eyes more than ever. Her pale skin seemed to glow palely in what light they had in the room. The effect was only because she had scrubbed her skin so severely it had almost rubbed a raw red.

Her darkened curls were more elaborate than ever, her hair pinned back halfway so the rest hung past her shoulders and strung with gold Veil had done. Her face had even been made up for the occasion, making her look fit to join a royal court, something Electra would not have thought of before that evening.

"You, Veil, are a genius," she replied, going over and hugging her. Veil's dark navy dress that was cut in a similar fashion as Electra's was trimmed with a bright silver.

"Remember," Veil said, handing Electra her mask before taking her own from a side table, "enjoy yourself first. Don't just go after the treasures right away or you'll look suspicious and get caught."

Electra nodded, still feeling slightly queasy again. She honestly didn't like the idea of stealing from Cair Paravel, but at least they weren't kidnapping anyone. That surely would have been so much worse.

The plan had been built and elaborated over the past week: they would enter the masked ball, all of them entering and enjoying the party just as everyone else. One by one, they would disappear into the depths of the castle, seeking the treasures each of them had been assigned.

Veil would be the first, her objective was the horn. She would then come back with Queen Susan's horn hidden in her dress and alert Alec. Alec would then go and find High King Peter's sword, Rhindon, and leave. After about a half hour of his disappearance, Damin would disappear, taking King Edmund's sword. Lastly, Electra would disappear into the depths of the castle and take Queen Lucy's vial. The two women would then leave with Darit. It had been decided to leave Queen Susan's bow and Queen Lucy's dagger, as taking too much would be dangerous, and the valuables they had chosen were worth enough as it was.

It was rumored that Queen Susan's horn could call upon help from anywhere, no matter what the danger was. King Edmund's sword had broken the wand of the White Witch, a valuable prize. High King Peter's sword fought and defeated the White Witch, and Queen Lucy's vial could heal any injury.

Afterwards, the five would sail to the Lone Islands, selling the objects for the biggest pile of gold any of them had seen. The crew never need know about their heist since the next gathering wasn't until the next full moon, a full month away.

They were now on Electra's one man ship, slowly sailing toward Cair Paravel. Sunset was glowing in the horizon, signaling their soon arrival.

"Veil?" Electra asked, looking down at her mask, her voice a bit unsure.

"Yes?"

"I have a small problem," she replied, looking back up at Veil. "I don't know how to dance."

Veil had probably guessed this, as Electra hardly ventured far from them lest she had gone out sailing on her own. Even then, they knew that she had never gone too far out to sea, just far enough to feel the freedom of the ocean.

"We can fix that," she replied, taking Electra's free hand and leading her out of the cabin.

Alec, Damin and Darit were already dressed, waiting for them. They turned at the sound of the door opening, and Electra felt her cheeks burning slightly at the looks they were giving her and Veil.

Electra turned her head to avoid their gaze, feeling Veil's hand slip from hers, going toward Alec to embrace him. Neither had seen the other so wonderfully dressed before, and Electra didn't want to watch their flirting. Her eyes gazed ahead toward their destination. The stone walls of Cair Paravel glittered in the orange light. Already she could hear the cheers of the crowded shores and in the castle. Many guests had already arrived, but they would not be the last. Many more ships, much bigger ones at that were heading toward Cair Paravel as well.

The castle was huge; she had seen it several times before when she was younger, but now that she saw it again, she wondered how in Aslan's name they were to navigate through the place.

"Electra," Veil's voice called, pulling her attention away from the large castle. She had her hand out, and Electra slowly came over, taking it, a bit confused.

"Alec will show you how to dance," she replied as Alec's hand took her place and slowly brought Electra closer.

Electra felt her face burn with the idea of learning how to dance in front of Damin and Darit, who were sure to make fun of her. Alec smiled at her, slowly placing his hand securely at her waist.

"It's almost like sparring," he said, "only you're dancing with a person rather than a blade." Electra tried to keep this in mind, slowly taking her first step into dancing.

It wasn't as horrible as it could have been, but Electra still dreaded walking into the party and being asked to dance by any number of men there. Electra had to laugh at herself at the thought as the boat pulled up to the dock. She could handle a swordfight just as easily, but a dance scared her.

With Veil's help, she tied the mask behind her hair securely so it wouldn't slip the entirety that they were there. Each step from the boat toward the castle was a heavy one, and somehow Electra convinced herself that if someone realized she couldn't dance that would blow the entire operation.

"Just relax," Veil's voice whispered in her ear, as though reading her every thought as though she were an open book. "You'll be fine. Just breathe. If you don't enjoy yourself, people will notice."

Great, Electra thought. Now not only if I don't dance, I'll be caught, if I don't enjoy myself, the exact same thing will happen. Somehow she felt her entire future was riding on this one night. Everything that happened from here on out would all be because of what happened at the celebration.

She watched as Alec and Veil took the lead, each arm in arm and walking gracefully, following the rest of the crowd heading toward the castle before stepping onto a carriage and allowing it to take them up to the front gates.

The castle doors of Cair Paravel loomed overhead, making Electra feel much smaller than she was already feeling at the moment. The doors were opened for them. Despite being a castle and the sun far down on the horizon, the interior was brightly lit. Electra quickly looked around, trying not to miss a thing inside the castle. The chances of her coming back were slim. If she did, it would probably not be on quite as good terms.

Everyone was being led into the massive throne room. It was hard to miss the four rulers: there they were, sitting on each of their respective thrones.

The right most one to Electra had a reddish blonde tint to her hair and had to be a few years younger than Electra. A silver crown stood out from her decored curls that hung past her shoulders. Electra could sense her bright innocence and cheery air about her from all the way across the room. This had to be Queen Lucy.

Talking to her at her right was a much older and more mature looking young woman. Her beauty seemed to surpass everyone in the room, and a gold crown stood out from her dark hair, elaborately twisted and braided back until it hung down past her mid back. No doubt this was Queen Susan.

Next to her was a man who must have been nearing his twenties, or just entering them. He had sandy blonde hair and a nobleness about him that seemed to shine. A gold crown was set perfectly atop his head, shining in the light that filled the room. Simply by his age, Electra suspected him to be the High King Peter.

He was talking to a young man at his right. He couldn't have been any older than Electra. Like Queen Susan, he had dark hair that fell under his silver crown. There was something about him that Electra couldn't quite put her finger on. Perhaps it was his smile that gave off a sense of underlying mischief, or perhaps his eyes and how they seemed to pierce whatever he looked at. There was something about King Edmund that captured Electra's curiosity almost instantly. She had to fight herself to subdue it, reminding herself of the task for which they had come was.

The five of them moved toward an empty table to sit down. Before them were golden plates and goblets, already filled with some sort of cherry red liquid. Electra couldn't help but feel jealous at all the splendor the castle had and how rich the four of the rulers were.

Absentmindedly, she raised the golden goblet to her lips, tasting its sweet spice. It was almost the exact same as the spiced wine Agatha had given her so many nights before, only sweeter and more delicious. She took another drink before setting it down, looking about the hall at all the others who had formed company at their own tables drinking deeply from their goblets which were refilled almost instantly by servants.

Upon second glance, Electra realized that not all of the guests or servants were human, but a range of creatures who found their home in Narnia: fauns, dryads, dwarves and nyads were here and there littered among humans. Centaurs lined the entrances more for the service of the guests than actual protection. There were even animals among the people. Electra distinctly saw a fox speaking with a badger and a beaver in a corner. The thought of animals talking made her smile, as none resided in any land she had been to before, save for Narnia.

A hushed silence filled the room as small horns began to sound off and everyone's attention was directed to the four thrones, where the Kings and Queens were now facing the assembly rather than speaking to one another. The High King Peter rose from his feet to address the audience once the horns died down.

"My friends and guests of Narnia, Archenland, Telmar, Calormen, the Lone Islands, and those of our words, man or Beast," the High King said in a loud and humble voice to the congregation, "as High King of Narnia, it is my pleasure to welcome you here to Cair Paravel as we celebrate the long broken ties between the Lone Islands and Narnia. Please enjoy the evening, as this is a celebration…"

His small speech continued on, though Electra tuned it out. Her eyes had wandered back to his siblings, particularly King Edmund, whom now she could get a better look at now that she was closer.

His dark eyes were watching his brother with a pride Electra had never seen before in anyone. She wondered what could have befallen the both of them that would have caused the younger King to look at his elder brother in such a way.

A quizzical look crossed his expression and his eyes quickly darted around the congregation. Electra quickly averted her vision back to the High King just before King Edmund caught her staring at him. She sincerely hoped she wasn't going pink as she felt his eyes fall upon her, perhaps a little longer than necessary. Had he caught her watching him?

When her eyes flicked back to him, however, she realized her paranoia had been only that: paranoia. His eyes were still glued to his brother with the same proud expression as before, except now there was something stirring behind his dark eyes. It was a sort of confusion about an unsolved riddle or puzzle. Electra forced her gaze back to the High King, forcing herself not to make the same mistake twice.

By this time Peter had sat back down at his throne and the waiters were passing out food and entrees in combinations Electra would have only thought of in her dreams. While the other four gratefully dove into the food, eating with as much delicacy as anyone else there, Electra merely pushed hers around the plate with her silver fork, thinking back to a few minutes ago.

It had been wrong to watch anyone but the High King while he had given his speech. Had she been caught, their cover would have surely been blown. He probably would have suspected her of something for being so rude as to not give his brother her full attention, especially with the way he respected him.

Soon the clatter of metal on metal stopped and people began joining the dance floor, including the Kings and Queens who were momentarily dancing with each other, moving in perfect tandem with the bright and cheery music that filled the room highlighted here and there by conversations from those still residing at their tables.

Electra could see many of the Calormens had gathered together in the back with their own countrymen, glaring at everyone merrily joining the party, and she knew why. Normally men would be the ones enjoying themselves until they pulled a woman aside to join dancing. The women would be the one serving, and no animals or other races besides humans would be allowed in the celebration.

Electra rolled her eyes and turned back to the table, a little surprised to see Alec and Veil standing up.

"Where are you two going?" she asked in a whisper that clearly implied if they were going to go through with the plan already.

"We're going to dance," Veil replied with a grin. "I feel I have the right to enjoy myself before we leave." She gave the other three a wink before Alec pulled her onto the floor to dance. Damin stood up as well.

"Well," he replied, putting his smooth voice into action, "I see a couple of ladies that have been eyeing me. It would be impolite to leave them hanging." With a smirk he disappeared into the crowd, leaving Darit with Electra. Electra was beginning to get a small churning feeling in her stomach.

"Would you like to dance?" Darit asked her politely, offering her his hand.

"I don't think so," she replied, shaking her head. "You've seen the catastrophe I am. I'm more likely to knock everyone on the floor down."

"Your loss," he replied, standing up and following his brother across the dance floor.

Electra watched him go, mouth gaping open in disgust. Just because she rejected his invitation to dance didn't mean he had to leave her high and dry. Grumbling slightly, she straitened up in her seat, taking another sip of spiced wine.

"Hello!" a cheery voice greeted from right next to her.

Electra nearly spit out her wine in surprise before looking over at the woman who had spoken to her. A pair of bright blue eyes sparkled cheerfully against a fair complexion and reddish blonde hair. Queen Lucy had situated herself next to Electra with the intention of making a new friend.

"Your Majesty," Electra replied, quickly standing up so she could politely curtsy to the Queen.

Queen Lucy giggled behind her hand. "You don't have to do that, you know," she said, gesturing Electra to sit back down.

She obliged, though confused. "I don't understand, your Majesty," she replied. Wasn't it required that they curtsy and show them immense amounts of respect? Perhaps she hadn't gotten all of the stories correct about Narnia. They had, after all, all been hear-say stories.

"You don't have to get up just to curtsy to me," she replied. "I like to think of my guests as friends rather than subjects. It makes talking to people so much easier."

Electra watched the young girl in a state of dazed confusion. Queen Lucy had no idea who Electra was, what she had done, what she was capable of. If Electra wanted, she could have slit Queen Lucy's throat without batting an eye right then. She didn't for two reasons. One, Electra only killed when necessary. And two, she would have been killed on the spot. Electra was very fond of her life to want to end it so soon. Besides, Alec and Veil would have been severely disappointed in her.

"I was just curious as to why you were sitting here by yourself," the Queen continued, not taking in Electra's expression. "It makes me sad when people aren't having fun."

"It's not that, your Majesty," she replied. She hesitated a moment before adding, "I just don't know how to dance." She had decided to be honest: if she said she didn't dance, that might come off as rude, which was the last thing Electra wanted.

"Oh, that's not a problem," she said with a laugh. "The best way to remedy that is with a good dancer. Now let me see…" She turned her head to scan the crowd. Electra had a moment where she thought about darting away, but that too would have been greatly frowned upon. Not to mention with how innocent Queen Lucy was, she couldn't find it in her heart to do that to her. "Peter's busy so…" She waved her hand in the air, attempting to attract someone's attention.

Electra's heart stopped as she realized who exactly Queen Lucy was summoning over. She quickly tried to gain back the attention of the Queen before she could gain the attention of the person she was waving to.

"No, your Majesty," she protested quietly. Somehow, if he saw her sitting there, he would have realized it was her she was staring at. "It's alright, really. I don't mind sitting here…"

The dark haired King had already cut through the crowd, however, making his way over to his little sister and her new best friend.


	8. Masked Deception

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Masked Deception

Electra quickly stared at the table, hoping beyond hope her cheeks were burning with embarrassment, not daring to look at him directly as he approached.

"Lucy, you're not bothering our guests?" The sound of a woman's voice rang out, which made Electra awkwardly confused. She looked to see King Edmund had not walked up alone, but had been accompanied by Queen Susan. Her beauty was even more breathtaking up close, making Electra feel very self conscious.

"Of course not, Su," she protested. "I'm just making new friends." She turned and smiled at Electra. "I'm sorry; I didn't catch your name."

"Oh," Electra said, slightly caught off guard. She quickly racked her brain for a name she could use besides her own. Her mind was blank and she quickly came up with an excuse not to give her name. "Isn't the entire reason for a masked ball not to give your identity?"

She watched each of them as they gave off different reactions to her small comment. Queen Lucy began giggling insanely behind her hand, holding the back of her chair with the other for support. Queen Susan looked as though she really wished she could roll her eyes but to do so would have been very rude. King Edmund cracked a wide smile.

"Well, we're a dead give away," he replied. He then did something that astounded Electra. He reached up and pulled the crown from his head. "That's fairer," he said with a broad grin.

Electra couldn't help but laugh at this small gesture. What was even more funny was the expression Queen Susan gave him.

"Put your crown back on," she ordered harshly, taking the crown and setting it back atop his head, fussing with his hair as she did so.

"Get off, Su," he whined, waiving his arms frantically to leave his hair be. "If I don't want to wear the crown, I shouldn't have to. I'm still wearing the mask, see?"

"You're a host," she barked. "You'll wear the crown and you'll like it."

He didn't argue with her after that, merely sticking his tongue out behind her back after she had turned her attention to Electra. Lucy had to stifle a giggle at this so he wouldn't have gotten in trouble.

Queen Susan looked as though she was about to say something when a young man, dressed in what Electra knew to be Archenland noble attire, approached her with a bow.

"May I have this dance?" he asked.

Queen Susan gave him a smile, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her back onto the dance floor. Electra gave a sigh, as she had feared she was about to be interrogated by the Queen.

"You don't have to tell us your name if you don't want to," Lucy told her with a cheery smile that Electra couldn't help but return. Her mind, though was elsewhere at the moment.

The way the three acted around one another, it was in a way Damin and Darit always acted toward Electra, but this had more meaning behind it. These were three siblings who loved each other in a way only blood siblings could. Electra had a sudden longing for a family of her own despite the fact she loved the family who had brought her up more than anything.

"Would you like to dance?" King Edmund's voice suddenly rang out in her direction, shattering her thoughts.

"Wha-" Electra's cheeks went flaming bright red and her eyes grew wide. "Bu-I don't know how…" Somehow it was harder admitting this to King Edmund than it had been to the young Queen.

"That's why I called Edmund over here," Queen Lucy said, getting up from her chair and pulling Electra to her feet. "He'd be happy to show you how. You need to have more fun!" She gently pushed Electra in King Edmund's direction.

"I'm not that good, Lu," he said with a laugh. "Pete's better than I am, but he seems a bit busy with someone at the moment." By this time Lucy had already fluttered off like a butterfly, looking to find more who were sitting at the tables rather than dancing and having fun.

"You know," he said to Electra, "you don't have to dance if you don't want to. I know how insistent she can be at times…"

"It's not that," Electra replied hastily, not wanting to offend the King in any way shape or form. "I'm just afraid I would step on your feet is all."

"It's all a part of learning," King Edmund responded with a smile, taking her hand and leading her over to the dance floor.

Electra tried to remember what Alec had said, dancing was like sparring, only with another person rather than with a sword. She felt like a fool when she first grazed his foot, which happened to be before they even started dancing. It had been an accidental step as a reaction when his hand went around her waist.

"It's alright," he assured her with a laugh, ignoring the pain that was obviously shooting up his foot. He gently took her hand to lead her in the dance. "Just follow my lead."

Electra couldn't help but be amazed at how patient he was with her. With King Edmund, dancing was like floating on cloud. The more she danced, the smother her steps became. That was, until the last note played for the song and she once again stepped on his foot.

"You were doing fine for a minute," he said with a laugh.

She couldn't help but return the smile, shaking slightly in humility and laughter. She stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do as he watched her closely. Should she stay for another dance or allow another person to have their turn dancing with him? Deciding not to impose her company on him, she gave him a curtsy.

"Thank you for the dance, your Majesty," she said.

He gave a small bow in return. "The pleasure was all mine," he replied. He stood for another moment, watching her before taking her hand. "Come here, I want to show you something."

Wondering what in all of Narnia King Edmund would want to show someone like her, she followed him away from the dance floor and toward an open balcony against the throne room.

The sun had long since set beyond the horizon, and the stars twinkled to their new wake. The bright moon glowed in the heavens down upon the land, giving it a mystic and almost angelic look. Electra couldn't help but gasp in awe at the sight.

The ocean below crashed softly in whispers against the beach whose white sand glowed luminously against the moonlight. Stars reflected against the glass-like water. From the balcony, she could smell the salt from the sea and look out upon it as though she were still there. It was almost as good as being out and free.

"You like it?" his voice asked, breaking the still silence that hung in the air.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered. "I envy you for living in a place with such beauty within your grasp."

Silence overtook them for a few more minutes. Electra could feel his eyes watching her closely, but for what reason, he didn't know. She simply stared out at the sea, pretending to be continually entranced by the sea when all she wished was to steal a glance from him.

"What's this?" he asked, indicating the gold necklace she wore around her.

Electra glanced down at her chain, pulling the small pendant upward so it shown in the moonlight. "It's just something I have. Well, the only thing I have from my past."

"What do you mean?" he asked, a bit confused.

"Well, I was found," she replied, not sure why she was going into detail about her past. The easiest thing to have done was probably say she wasn't comfortable talking about it. With King Edmund, however, the entire idea of 'comfort' was turned upside down. "It's the only thing I have that gives me any clue to my past."

"You don't remember your parents?" he asked, suddenly sounding sorry for bringing up the subject.

"No," Electra replied. "And they never came to find me." She glanced at him and felt her mood suddenly plummet due to the saddened look on his face. "It's alright. Those who consist of my family are those who brought me up."

"Still," he said, drumming his fingers against the balcony railing, "it must be difficult not to remember your biological parents."

"It's not just that," she replied. "I don't remember anything up until I was about five." Suddenly she realized she wasn't helping the situation, and quieted down.

"I hope you're enjoying yourself," he asked, looking over at her, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

"I am now," she said with a smile. "I wasn't sure if I ever would learn how to dance. You clearly proved me wrong."

He couldn't help but laugh at this, which in turn, made her laugh slightly. He turned to face her, his eyes locking with his. Electra couldn't seem to pull her own gaze away, and she sincerely hoped he hadn't noticed her heartbeat quicker.

"There's something about you," she said, his voice in a hushed whisper, "that I can't quite figure out. If not for the King of Narnia, then for at least me as a person, can't you tell me your name?"

Electra felt a twang in her heart at the pleading in his voice. She wished she could tell him something that would make her seem worthy in his eyes, but no. Her name wasn't even worth enough for his lips to utter. Slowly she shook her head, her eyes draped in sadness.

"I'm sorry," she replied, knowing this greatly disappointed him. "I can't."

She watched him for a moment, knowing that it was best if he never saw her again because of what she and her family were plotting. She couldn't simply leave him with nothing, however. So she reached up and pulled the chain over her hair. She took his hand and opened his palm and placed the necklace inside.

"Please take this," she whispered.

He looked down at the small golden necklace she had just given him, and looked back at her with eyes slightly widened in surprise.

"I can't take this," he said, holding out his hand for her to take it back. "This is something that's important to you."

"It's the least I can do," she replied shaking her head, refusing to take it back. He watched her for a moment before nodding. He looked down at the small pendant at the end, squinting his eyes in the poor light.

"There's an inscription on here," he said aloud. "But it's some sort of odd writing. What does it say?"

Electra couldn't help but smile. "My name," she replied.

He let out a soft chuckle, looking back down at the pendant as thought it would magically be legible. "I suppose I won't be getting any more hints to that?" he asked, glancing up at her. She shook her head in response.

"They'll be missing you in the throne room," she whispered, making this her goodbye to him.

He looked back up at her, a deep sadness in his eyes. She could read that he sincerely hoping she wasn't suggesting what he knew she was.

"They won't miss me," he replied. "I'm not the High King Peter. I'm only King Edmund."

"You're not only King Edmund, your Majesty." She had called him 'your Majesty' again to try to get her point across. "From what I hear, you're King Edmund the Just. And of course they'll miss you, especially the group of girls from Telmar who had been watching you since their arrival."

At this he laughed and shuddered slightly. "Girls scare me."

Electra gave him a quizzical look. "Am I not a girl?" she asked, folding her arms and pretending to be offended.

"You are," he replied, suddenly going red and hurrying his speech. Electra had to try hard not to laugh at his fumbling to apologize. "Well, when Lucy called me over, she asked if I would dance with you, and you were really pretty and…" he trailed off. "I should just stop there, shouldn't I?"

Electra gave out a small laugh. "It's alright," she replied. "I apologize for my lack of good behavior; it doesn't deserve your flattery."

"I wasn't trying to give you flattery," King Edmund continued going a bit pinker, "I noticed you before and I couldn't help but notice how beautiful you were."

Electra knew she was going red at this. To have a king to come up to some stranger such as her and tell her she was beautiful was not something she would have expected. Then again, she reminded herself, he didn't know what kind of a person she was. She'd have to let him off for that.

"Still," she insisted, her voice gaining some of its sadness back, "you should get back. I wouldn't want anyone to think I'd kidnapped you." Electra realized how ironic the statement was after she said it and felt her stomach turn in disgust. If he only knew what she was capable of…

"Will I at least see you again?" he asked earnestly.

"I'm not one to make promises I don't know if I can keep," she replied before continuing in a teasing manner, "If good fortune shines down then maybe."

"Then I shall pray for good fortune every day," King Edmund replied, taking her hand and lightly kissing it.

Electra held her breath, watching as his lips gently brushed her unworthy hand. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she thought it would pound right through. Her breath had caught in her stomach and her eyes couldn't be pulled away from the young King.

It took all of her strength to not run from the balcony right then, away from what treachery her family was to do on the castle, so Edmund might see some light in her soul. King Edmund, she chastised herself. She was nothing, and less than worthy of calling him simply by his first name.

"Until we meet again," he said, giving her a bow, which she automatically returned with a curtsy, before he disappeared back into the throne room. Electra took a few minutes to catch her breath before hurrying back in as well, though being careful to walk around the outer perimeter and toward the entrance.

Once away from everyone, she leaned back against the hall wall, breathing in heavily. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't block out his smile or his beautiful dark eyes from her mind. The back of her hand, which he had kissed, burned worse than her wrist did for some reason. She was finding it hard to slow her heart rate, which was pounding at an accelerating rate as it never had before.

What was wrong with her? Electra wondered to herself, shaking her head, trying to get rid of the image. Talking to him had been so easy, almost like breathing air, and now that she was gone she felt like she was being deprived of the oxygen she needed to survive. She didn't understand the feeling and wanted nothing more than to run from it.

A sudden hand on her shoulder made her jump.

"Hush," a voice whispered. Electra realized it as Darit's and she turned to face him.

"What?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

"We've been looking everywhere for you," he replied. "Alec and Damin are already at the ship. Veil's been worried sick. Get what we came here for and then lets go. We've wasted enough time as it is."

In her momentary second that Electra had been thinking about the younger King, she had completely forgotten about her task, obtaining Queen Lucy's vial before the three of them left without a trace.

"I got a bit sidetracked," she whispered, feeling her heart beat go back to normal. "I'll meet the two of you at the front entrance in ten minutes."

"Take the grand staircase up two floors," he informed her. "Follow the long hallway down. Fourth hallway to your left is the bedchambers. Lucy's door should be the second on the right.

Electra nodded. "Okay."

Darit gave her a nod in return. "I'll see you in ten minutes," he said before going back into the throne room to meet Veil and tell her what was going on."

Electra watched him retreat, taking another deep breath before moving through the hall, stealth of a pirate taking over her every move.


	9. Clouded Waters

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Clouded Waters

The plan had gone all too smoothly. The cool salty air blew about them as they sailed toward the open sea, toward the Lone Islands. Electra was thankful that the wind and the current were with them, at least for now.

She gripped the crystal vial in her palm tightly, her trophy for going through with everything that night. While the others brooded over what treasures they had collected from the chambers (Damin, Alec, and Veil had even gone as far as stealing some of their precious jewels and gold) Electra stood at the bow of the boat with what some could see as the gift of immortality.

Electra wouldn't have gone so far as to say that it was the key to immortality, but it did hold powers that could heal any injury. For a pirate, such a treasure was more valuable than gold. Now that she thought about it, Electra was less inclined to sell it. Especially with the recent fortune she had been given, not that they were bound to come true, but still, it was smart to be precautious.

And through all this, the thought of King Edmund kept coming to her mind. His charming yet sincere smile, his tragically dark eyes, his strong connection with his siblings, and the mysterious air about him, all were a simple reminder of him, but it was impairing her vision like clouded waters.

She cursed herself for allowing Edmund to teach her how to dance. King, she quickly reminded herself. King Edmund. She had no idea who she thought she was thinking she could go around calling him by his name as if he were some sort of commoner. She shook her head, still unable to get rid of the memories.

And still, she didn't want to let them go just yet. The small glances, the miniscule movements. Each tiny thing that had happened that night seemed to mean more than it actually did. The entire thing was making Electra's head spin so much she decided to turn in early. Slowly she headed back to her cabin to get some sleep. Perhaps the reason she was thinking these things was because she was so tired. Yes, that had to be it. She was delusional because she was tired.

"Electra?" a voice called out.

She stopped, about halfway back to her cabin and turned to the four. It was Alec who had addressed her.

"Yes?" she asked, trying to hide her dazed and preoccupied expression and look as normal as possible.

"Are you alright?" he asked, obviously worried. It marveled Electra at how well he could read people. But this time she thought it best not to tell him everything that was going on in her mind at the moment.

Electra simply smiled and nodded. "Yes," she replied, trying to sound as cheery as possible. "I'm just a bit tired. I think I'm going to go to bed for a little bit."

Perhaps cheeriness wasn't the best solution, because they all glanced at one anther before Veil stood up.

"I'll help you take the pins out of your hair," she said, coming up next to Electra and leading her toward the cabin. Electra knew she meant more than taking some stupid pins out of her hair. She could have done that herself. No, Veil was coming with her to see what exactly had caused Electra's mood swing.

Inside, Veil closed the door behind them. She pulled out a long white dress for Electra to change into once she was out of the red one she wore to the party. After splashing her face and cleansing it of the makeup she had plastered there, she walked back over to Veil.

"Sit on the chair and I'll be able to reach your hair better," she replied, scooting a chair right behind Electra.

Electra did as she was told, mind still too clouded to argue otherwise. She still couldn't get those dark eyes out of her head. There was some sort of mystery that lie behind them that Electra had to figure out. Yet at the same time, she didn't want to see him again because of the horrible thing they did and the idea of making a fool of herself. Electra shut her eyes tight. Why should she care if she made a fool of herself in front of him?

"Veil?" she asked.

"Hmm?" Veil was busy undoing the gold leaves and string that wound around Electra's dark curls and unpinning the hair that she didn't give up much room for anything else that might have needed concentration, such as a conversation.

Electra pressed on anyway. "What was it like when you first met Alec?"

Electra quickly reasoned with herself that in no way could she have been attracted to King Edmund the Just. She was just interested in hearing a story.

"Now that is a story if I've ever heard one," she said with a smile. Silence overtook for a few minutes as she concentrated on Electra's hair. "I lived in one of the brothels of Calormen."

"What?" Electra asked turning her head to face Veil. In doing so she pulled her hair and winced, slowly going back to her position. Veil paused for a moment before continuing with her hair and with the story.

"Well, I was sold as a slave there. I was actually born to a maid in Archenland. I never knew my real father. But one day pirates raided our town and I was caught up in the middle of it. I was eight years old."

"I'm so sorry," Electra whispered, sorry she brought up the subject. This must have been how King Edmund felt when he bushed on the subject of her past. Electra pinched herself, trying to stay focused on the story. "Would you mind continuing?"

"It wasn't as horrible as you think," she told Electra, now picking up a brush and running it through her now pin and gold décor hair. "I was too young to actually be of any use when it came to business. So I mainly cleaned and worked around the brothel. Mother Matron made me wear a veil all the time so none of the men could see my face. I was also unable to speak with any of them. It was how I got my name Veil. I was so used to not being called by my born name, it became as though I didn't even have one."

"What is your real name?" Electra asked.

There was a small pause and a change in the tone of Veil's voice. "Alena."

"It's pretty," Electra said with a smile.

"It's meaningless now," Veil continued. "When I was ten, on the verge of becoming one of the courtesans, Alec made his first visit to the brothel. He was fifteen." Veil's hands paused and Electra knew she was closing her eyes and remembering that day. "When he first saw me he knew that I was going to come with him. So, he paid the Mother Matron for me and then took me with him back to his home, in Narrowhaven."

"So he was just visiting Calormen that day?" Electra asked as she felt the brush run smoothly through her hair once more.

"He had business in Calormen," she replied. "Later I found out he was dealing with pirates, but that was a few years later. He hadn't become one yet, but he was close to it. He was such a caring person; he didn't want me to get tangled in his affairs. I however, was content on going with him wherever he went, no matter what he did. So, when he was twenty and I had just turned sixteen, we joined the _Nomad_. He was branded immediately, but forced me to wait until I was eighteen to be branded. He wanted to make sure I was absolutely certain this was what I wanted." She paused before adding, "if I knew this would have been my fate, I would have happily branded myself at ten."

Electra smiled. "It must be a nice feeling when you're in love like the two of you are," she said.

"It is," she replied. "Every breath is worth the time we spend together, no matter where our actions lead us. I would be content if I had to die now, as long as it was in his arms. I know he feels the same way."

"How?" Electra asked.

She could sense the smile in Veil's voice. "Because he's told me."

Electra pondered this for a moment, silence befalling the both of them. She wondered what it took to fall in love, and what it was like to be in love. Not that she wanted it right now, she just thought that someday it might be nice to have someone like Veil had Alec. She didn't like the idea of being passed around like Trinity did, making herself out to be a whore.

"Electra," Veil whispered. Electra noticed her hair wasn't being brushed anymore and she turned her head to see there was fear and excitement in her eyes.

"What?" Electra asked, turning fully to see the woman to the best of her ability. "What's wrong?"

Veil pulled up a side stool and sat down next to Electra. "I need to tell you something," she whispered. There was a quiver in her voice that scared Electra.

"What's wrong?" she asked urgently. "Are you sick? Hurt? I have Queen Lucy's vial right here, we can fix anything if it's something like that." Veil had done so much for her in her entire life time that Electra would do almost anything to help pay her kindness back."

"It's nothing like that," she replied in a whisper. "I think I'm pregnant." Electra's heart practically stopped at her words, her eyes widening in surprise more than everything.

Being a mother, Electra knew, was something that Veil had secretly always wanted. Sure, she had Electra, Damin and Darit, but a child of one's own was something that she had always wanted. It was a feeling that Electra knew one couldn't know without actually experiencing it.

At the same time, having a child was also a really bad thing, especially for female pirates. Pirates weren't bred; they were made from men or women who didn't have anything else to live for. A child born of a pirate was a bastard baby, and if found was killed.

"Oh, Veil," Electra whispered. She quickly pulled Veil into a close hug, unsure of what else to do. It was rarely seen that she embrace her like this, but it seemed necessary.

"I don't know what to do," she whispered into Electra's ear. "I'm happy for the child, but I can't let it be killed. I also don't want to endanger Alec."

"Alec will be just as happy as you are about a child," Electra informed her, pulling back and looking Veil in the eye. She knew Veil was scared at the idea that Alec would leave her, but Electra knew he never would. He would have killed himself before leaving her.

"But when they find out," Veil whispered, unable to continue her sentence. Tears were forming in her soft brown eyes. They were the first tears Electra had ever seen her shed. She quickly reached up and wiped them away. It was Electra's turn to be the motherly figure in this scenario.

"Don't worry," she said. "Here's what you're going to do. First, you're going to stop drinking."

Veil gave a laugh at this but nodded. Being as alcoholic as she was, Electra knew that because of how much she wanted a child she would give up drinking before snapping her fingers. It wouldn't be easy, but she would do it.

"Second," Electra continued, "Alec is going to have to find out. You can tell him, I can tell him, I don't care but he will have to know. It's the best way we can protect the baby." Veil nodded and Electra continued. "When we get back to Narrowhaven, take a ship and get to Archenland. Find passage to Telmar. Get as far away from the ocean as you possibly can."

"I don't know what I'll do without you," Veil whispered, giving Electra a strong hug, which she returned.

"Go tell him now," Electra whispered, pulling back and giving Veil a smile. She nodded before standing up, Electra absentmindedly helping her and walking with her to the door.

Electra stood in the doorway as Veil walked over. Slowly she pulled Alec aside, ignoring the odd looks she received from Damin and Darit before they went back to talking about their loot.

The outline of Alec and Veil barely stood out in the moonlight, but it was enough to see his expression when she broke the news. He let out a joyful laugh, picking her up and spinning her around in his arms. Electra smiled to herself before going back into her cabin and closing the door.

Alec, just as she had predicted, was getting a bit too restless for pirate life. He was too paternal and shouldn't have been categorized by those thieves who enjoyed killing and stealing. Likewise it was the same with Veil. She was too kind to be messing around with pirates anymore. The best thing would be for them to get away.

Electra knew that as long as they stayed hidden for a certain period of time, and didn't tell anyone about the _Nomad_, they soon would be thought to be lost at sea. They wouldn't be searched for and then they would be safe.

Electra lay back down in her bed, not feeling tired but willing herself to fall asleep. Her mind wandered toward Alec and Veil and toward their happiness. Veil was lucky, especially as a pirate, to find someone who cared as much about her as Alec did.

Damin and Darit on the other hand, Electra thought with a small smile, those two were bound to get more ruthless. They were still young and learning, in their early twenties. But especially with Alec and Veil gone, they were bound to get worse: greedier and less compromising.

Electra knew she was just as much out of luck. She would have gone with Veil and Alec, but two people running from the Nomads together was dangerous enough. They didn't need another to chase them around. She could pretty much see how she was going to eventually turn out. Just like Trinity.

Not only did she have the lust of a whore, but she also had just about as much ruthlessness as their captain. Kill and torture first, and ask questions later were her policy on life. She was even known for sleeping with men before killing them before stealing what money and valuables they held in the house. Electra might not have gone to that extreme, but she knew that was the direction her life would be headed.

Sadness filled her, and for a second she wished for nothing more than to find what Veil had found: someone who lived to love and take care of her. She lived with the pirates because that was all she had ever known, not because she didn't want something more.

The image of King Edmund fluttered into her mind once more and she quickly shook her head. It was impossible that he could even possibly be someone in the future who could be that for her. Perhaps she might have liked him a little bit, but it was little more than an infatuation, she told herself. Kings married princesses and duchesses, not pirates or commoners. If he saw her now, he wouldn't have even bothered to look at her, let alone speak to her.

Electra turned over in her bed, placing the pillow over her head so it blocked out all light coming from outside as well as muffling all sounds. She knew thoughts of him would soon go away. Any other thoughts she'd had of other men had gone away as quickly as come before. This would be no different.

It was yet another hour later before she was finally able to relax enough to drift off into sleep. Her breathing became easy and her muscles relaxed enough. The pillow atop her head slipped to the floor and Electra turned in her sleep, no longer worrying about the things that had clouded her mind so much.

This night was to be different, however. For the first time in as long as she could remember, she dreamed.


	10. Black Market

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Black Market

It wasn't a normal night: it was almost too perfect to be real. The sky was cloudless and stars shone brighter and bigger than normal. Even the moon seemed to give off a more intense glow than normal. The white sanded beach was bright. The only sound to be heard was the soft rustling of waves against the shore before being pulled back, more taking their place.

A soft breeze rustled through the air, bringing the smell of the sea to Electra, who stood with her feet in the soft sand. Normally by nightfall, the sand had cooled enough, but not this night. It still had a small inkling of the warmth it held in the bright sun.

She was on the shore, and above her at the cliff stood Cair Paravel, and behind her the forest leading up to the castle. It seemed more real than even yesterday when she was there, walking in it, dancing in it. Something about where she was seemed odd, yet she was so entranced by the beauty that she never wanted to leave.

"I'm dreaming," she told herself. "I'm dreaming."

Yet while she continually repeated this through the night air, cutting through the serene calmness like a knife, she reminded herself that she did not dream. Never, not once, in all of her years did she ever have one dream, nor the remnants of one. It was as if the dream was a surreal thing itself.

"Do not fear, my child," a calm voice said.

Electra turned around to face whoever spoke to her. It was a deep voice, strong and gentle, yet magnificent and much too beautiful to describe in words. Yet the figure, it seemed the voice came from, both did and did not fit the voice itself. And yet, why she didn't run away both confused her and didn't enter her mind.

"Who… who are you?" she asked.

Normally, one wouldn't think a Lion would talk. Yet after the night she had at Cair Paravel, she knew quite differently now.

"Search in your heart," the Lion responded kindly. "You will find the answer."

Electra thought for a moment, watching the Lion who stared back intensely at her. He seemed familiar, yet very distant simultaneously. His presence was more than the presence of a mere Lion. He was different.

"Aslan," she whispered, falling to her knees and bowing her head without question. Aslan nodded approvingly watching Electra with unblinking eyes. After what could have been several hours or mere minutes, for it is hard to tell how time passes in a dream, Electra asked, eyes still just below his front paws on the sand, for she was most unworthy to look at any part of him. "What do you want with me?"

She expected punishment for her doings. This night was her judgment night and here she faced Aslan under his judgment. However, whatever Electra expected, be it pain or torture, it never came.

"Electra," Aslan said, taking a step in her direction. "I am in need of your help."

For the first time, Electra broke her gaze with the sand and looked up at the Great Beast with confusion and curiosity. "My help?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"Why?" She knew as soon as the word flew from her mouth it was more than rude, as one did not question Aslan himself. She quickly bowed her head again. "What could someone like me do for You, Aslan?" she asked.

"You think too little of yourself," he replied with a chuckle. "But I will not let this drown your conscious. When I see you again, that is when I will need you. Without your help, the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve from another world will be doomed. Only you can save them."

Just then Electra noticed four figures behind Aslan, recognizing each of them as the Kings and Queens of Narnia. Her eyes dwelled on King Edmund, unable to take them away from him. His eyes met hers and she blinked.

The wooden ceiling appeared above her, and the rocking of the boat lulled her drowsiness as she realized she was once again awake. The soft snore of Alec and Veil came from the floor and she could hear Damin and Darit's voices coming from outside.

With a groan she pulled her covers over her once more, back into a dark and dreamless sleep.

The boat docked at Narrowhaven just before sunrise the next morning. Alec and Veil immediately departed, saying their goodbyes as though there was nothing out of the ordinary, pretending they would see one another soon enough. Only Electra knew this wasn't the case. It was a good thing Darit and Damin would know nothing, or else they'd be in danger as well. Electra simply knowing the gist of where they were headed was bad enough.

Electra was back into her usual outfit. She and her two comrades paid the dockman before moving down the streets of the market, soon to be busy with merchants hoping to impress customers that day. Electra ignored him, instead allowing her mind wander to other things, or a specific person for that matter.

It was deep in the heart of Narrowhaven where the real trading and selling of items could be found. And the best of them couldn't be seen open on the streets. It was behind the shops, hidden within the black market.

"You've got to be joking. You're telling me this is the real ivory horn given to Queen Susan the Gentle? What do you think I am, stupid? No one walks into the castle and simply walks out with a treasure like this."

Electra crossed her arms and rolled her eyes from the corner where she stood in the back of a merchant's shop. This particular black market trustee was named Bret. A better bargainer than most merchants hoped to become in two lifetimes. As usual, Bret was putting on his disbelieving look so she and the two others would jack down the price. They knew his tricks all too well, though, and weren't about to go down without a fight.

"Five hundred gold coins and not a cent under," Damin told him firmly.

Bret shook his head. "Nope. No, I'll not have some bloody pirate selling off some fake horn that's overpriced already in the first place." Electra could tell in his eyes though, that he had a small inkling that it might be the Susan's horn after all.

"Five hundred gold coins," Darit repeated what his brother said. "And if someone says its real, then its real."

"Prove it," Bret said with a toothy grin, thinking he'd finally outwitted him. "No one in their right mind will buy that from me for over five hundred. I'm supposed to make money, not lose it."

"You want proof?" Electra finally spoke after a half hour of silence. She was irritated that the stupid merchant would break her concentration, and she was going to put an end to it. Anger of being in the shop so long had finally taken its toll, and the pirate in her was beginning to show. Bret looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You can prove it?"

"If this is, in fact, Susan's horn she received from Father Christmas," Electra replied, coming to the counter and picking up the horn, "then if I blow into it, help should come. Perhaps then we'll find a willing customer." She raised the horn to her lips with every intention of sounding it off.

"Wait!"

Electra lowered the horn, looking at Bret expectingly. A burglar for others he may have been but he was also a coward. He wouldn't have risked such a stake that Electra had proposed, and she knew it.

"Two hundred and fifty," Bret offered, breathing hard.

"No," Damin replied, crossing his arms. Though his face was stone, Electra could tell in his eyes he was impressed by her offer. "Five hundred is our offer. Take it or leave it."

"I don't have five hundred to give," he replied. Finally he gave in. "I can give you a down payment of three hundred now and pay you the other two hundred when you next return. Earliest possible time is next week."

"Three-fifty down payment," Darit said, "And the rest by the end of the week."

Bret sighed. "Deal," he said, going into the back to get his gold.

Darit double counted the money to make sure it was all there after Bret came back while Damin kept his eye on the black market merchant.

"I hope you're smart enough not to move before we get back," Damin replied, taking part of the gold himself, giving part to Electra and the rest to Darit. "You know what happens if you betray us."

"I've proven not to run before," Bret replied, taking the horn carefully and placing it in the far back before coming back. "I would be a fool to run or speak against you."

"The rest by the end of the week," Electra voiced. "or we'll take what you have and sell it to other merchants to pay off your debt."

Bret nodded, looking a bit more worried than when she placed the horn to her lips. They walked back out into the sunshine and crowded street, the three of them side by side.

"What did you get for the vial?" Damin asked Electra, not daring to use the Queen's names aloud.

"For a prize that holds the key to life," she answered with a sly grin, "one can only hope more than for the simple horn." The two brother laughed nudging one another gleefully. Electra, however, kept her attention on the other people around them, watching for potential eavesdroppers before asking, "And your swords? How much for them."

"A sword from Father Christmas would have waged more," Darit replied. Electra could have sworn he had added a small bounce to his step. "But as it broke something of even more value…"

Electra turned directly to him, her mind suddenly pulled back to the conversation, not by the money, but by the specific possesssion they were talking about. "How much?"

Darit grinned. "One-thousand five hundred gold coins." Damin gave his brother a smile and clapped him on the back in congradulations.

Electra grinned. For any sort of trinket sold, that was a large sum of money. But for Edmund's sword, it seemed a bit cheap, considering it was the one that broke the wand of the White Witch. She wondered who Darit had let get away with such a price.

"To whom, if I may ask?" Damin asked, taking Electra's thoughts right from her mouth.

"Zepheri," he replied with a grimace. "You know how he is, worse than Bret. He never caves in no matter what you threaten him with. I was hoping for at least five thousand, but it ruddy wasn't likely with him. Besides, if I ever want it back, I know where to find it. He won't sell it for a penny over ten-thousand. He'd rather keep it as one personal heirloom. What I should have done was taken her along." He nodded his head in Electra's direction.

Electra glared. "Though I, as a woman, might have done more to persuade him, I'm not in the mood to be treated like a bargaining chip. That man is bloody ridiculous."

Darit gave her a playful laugh, to which she rolled her eyes in response. He then turned his attention to Damin. "So, brother. How much did you get for yours?"

By then they had arrived back at Electra's small ship and boarded, slowly taking their earnings out in Electra's cabin so no one would see.

"I haven't sold mine yet," he replied. He took the gleaming silver sword from his bag he had carried on his back like a sack and showed it in all its glory to them. Rhindon, the sword of High King Peter the Magnificent.

"You idiot!" Electra hissed, slamming the door to her cabin which had been wide open the entire time. "If someone had seen that, we'd be the first ones in line once they find out their treasures had been missing! The longer you hold onto it, the easier it gets for them to catch us. If you get me hanged, I will forever torment you in hell!"

Damin laughed, shaking his head and covering the sword again, placing it aside. "I was thinking of selling it, but no one here would hold the right price for such a priceless possession. I'm surprised you'd gotten so much for yours, Electra."

Electra rolled her eyes, dismissing the compliment. "What were you thinking, Damin?" To her left Darit seemed to be mimicking her anger.

Damin glanced at the both of them as though he had just thought up the greatest plan. "I'm not selling them here."

"What?" Electra practically shrieked. "Did you not hear what I just said?"

"Yes," he replied. "It was hard not to. Anyway, I'm not selling them here because I'd get a better price for them from a Calormen."

Electra froze. Sell Rhindon to a Calormen? She had never thought of such an idea in her life, yet now that it was brought up it was not only ingenious, but completely stupid.

"You are an idiot," she replied. "If the Calormens sell you out-"

"They wouldn't," he replied with a grin. "The Calormens hate Narnia more than the Telmarines. If someone had a prize such as that, they would keep it a secret, having the Narnians blaming each other for stealing their own goods, ripping one another apart like the animals they are."

Electra watched him, a disbelief slowly seeping its way to her. "Narnia is our home country," she growled. "Whatever creatures live there you would do well to show it respect. It is they you answer to. They'll soon know pirates stole their possessions and when they do, we'll still be caught in the middle of it all."

Damin took a step back, surprised at her sudden accusation. "What's the matter with you, Electra?" he asked, a small growl hidden behind his words. "Why should you care what happens to the Narnians. Because of them, the black market may soon be closed and pirates rid of. We'll be extinct, Electra. How can you be so supportive of a monster that would inflict genocide on your own kind?" He watched her closely, eyes now narrowed like a hawk zoning in on its prey. "You haven't become a traitor, have you, Electra?'

Electra shook her head, turning the other way and not bothering to look at him, unable to believe what he had just said. If anyone was a traitor, it was Damin. A long awkward silence filled the small cabin. Darit was the first to speak.

"Look," he offered. "For now, it's better if we split up. Electra, go with Damin to Calormen to get rid of the sword. I'll stay here and finish business with Bret and meet you down there. It's probably better we stay clear from the Lone Islands for a while. At least, the three of us together."

Electra glanced over at him before nodding. She turned back to Damin, still infuriated but much more calm.

"Go untie the boat with Darit," she ordered. "I need a moment to myself."

"And who are you to order me around?" Damin asked, growing a pirate's snarl.

"This is my ship, and whilst we are on it, you will do as I order," Electra practically snarled back. "You have no boat to get to Calormen. So without me, you're stuck here." She glared a hole into him before whispering dangerously, "Don't make me give my orders again."

Damin's nostrils flared momentarily before ripping the door open and storming outside, his brother on his heels. Electra moved and closed the door, flopping on her bed and taking a few deep breaths.

Slowly, she reached down between her corset and her silk shirt and pulling out a small glass container with a bit of difficulty, as it had been securely placed there. Queen Lucy's Fireflower Juice Vial sparkled in what light came through the musty windows.

Electra knew she had been a hypocrite for telling Damin off for keeping the sword, but a sword was bigger and much more likely to be seen. Queen Lucy's vial, a much smaller item and in Electra's opinion, a much more valuable one at that, Electra was more keen on holding onto. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was more than greed for the key to immortality or life that made her hold onto the small item. Something inside her told her to do so, that if she sold it, so much more would be at stake. Besides, she could still decide to sell it later if she so chose to do so.

Carefully she placed the small delicate vial back, making sure it was secure before standing up. She glanced over at where Rhindon lay hidden under the small bundle, knowing what curse it would bring to her that it had not already been sold.

She took another breath before opening the door. Darit had already gone and Damin was untying the rope from the dock. Electra came over to help him, pulling one of the ropes from the mast out to open the canvas.

"Prepare to set sail to Calormen," she said, her voice completely void of emotion. "Pray the wind and current are with us. We'll need them if we are to survive the journey without being caught."


	11. Rhindon

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Rhindon

The trip could have been much faster, had the wind picked up more speed. But it was fast enough to please Electra. The fact that the current happened to pick up once they reached Tashbaan worried her more. It was as though someone were giving chanse and the sea betrayed the two pirates by giving their pursuers the current they needed to catch up with Electra and Damin.

To Electra, it was a miracle they arrived so easily. No one in Calormen took them as any more than regular merchants. Few who recognized them as part of the _Nomad _crew seemed interested or confused at their unexpected arrival.

To Electra's surprise, Damin passed every merchant every merchant that happened to be on the street during their walk, the High King Peter's sword wrapped carefully and strung at his back, as the two of them headed straight for the local dwelling part of the city. Electra quickly grabbed Damin's wrist, determined to find out what he was plotting.

"Who exactly are you planning on selling the sword to?" she asked in a hiss.

"One who knows the true value of possession when he sees one," Damin answered, wrenching his arm from her grasp. "I've done business with him before."

"You planned this?!" she growled. Rage boiled inside her. Stealing was bad enough if caught. Worse if done so from the Kings and Queens (Electra only found justification in this as the original plot was to kidnap them). Traitorous if it was planned long term with a country the victims were on very bad terms with, like the Calormens. She took it upon herself to smack Damin upside the head. "Are you trying to start a war?"

"Ow! Electra," he said, holding his hands up in an attempt to calm her down. "Maybe you should wait for me to get back."

"Why?" she snapped back, pulling herself away from Damin and glaring at him all the more. He could be really thick sometimes, and he should have known attempting to calm her down wasn't going to help in the slightest. "I already know you can't be trusted, with all the idiotic things you've pulled so far."

"You know how Calormen are," he whispered. His voice was so low now that Electra had to strain slightly to hear him. "This man is no different. I don't want you any more upset than you already are."

Electra growled again, glancing around while the decision to either come or pass brooded in her mind. Finally, she turned to face Damin.

"Show me where you're selling it," she ordered. "I have a right to know."

Damin nodded, though Electra could see some of the reluctance in his eyes. He started down the crowded street once more, Electra close at his heels and still fuming. He didn't stop until he reached one of the houses located near the middle of the street, and it was probably the largest one on the street.

"It looks like more of a museum," Electra commented, watching a few of the slaves working in the yard. Sadly, she recognized a few of them as ones she and the others of the _Nomad_ sold off once capturing them at sea. They took no notice of her or Damin at the moment.

The front door opened and a large bearded man stepped out, more elaborately dressed than anyone Electra had ever seen. She would have laughed, but that would have evoked him and more than likely gotten her in a great deal more trouble.

"Ah, Damin," he said with a broad grin. "I see you bring me a female slave this time. I can see she'll fit in lovely with the home."

Electra's humor suddenly dropped and she glared a hole at the man. Slave? Her hands curled into tight fists at her sides and severely shaking. This man was the exact reason she hated Calormen. They suspected every woman who came with a merchant was a slave.

"I'm not for sale," she snarled severely. The man's grin suddenly dropped, glaring at her with sudden equal hatred.

"You better watch your tongue, you wench," he spat. "No woman with a vile tongue is permitted here. She'll sooner have it cut out."

"Tarkaan Salec," Damin said before any more ill words could be spoken. "I apologize, but the woman is not for sale. I have something that I believe you will find of much more value."

"More valuable than a personal concubine?" he asked. "I'd like to see what you think is more valuable than that."

"Trust me," Damin said, getting an evil glint in his eye. "You won't be disappointed."

Meanwhile, Electra's rage had reached beyond its boiling point. She was sick and tired of being treated like a possession, or something that could be a possession with every man that came across her path.

"I think he will," Electra said looking at Damin a sharp tone in her voice. "Because apparently you brought the one thing he wanted but now can't have." She turned back to glare at Tarkaan Salec with a victory smile. "Look, but you can't touch."

This was probably going a little beyond what she should have done, Electra knew, but she couldn't help but be smart with this man, especially after being so rude to her face. She could deal with rumors behind her back because she didn't have to hear them. But to her face, she didn't want to hear it.

"Get that bitch out of here," Tarkaan Salec growled, "Or I'm not doing business with you again." With that, he turned on the heel of his shoes and went back into the house, the door slamming behind him.

The small argument that had passed between him and Electra hadn't gone unnoticed by the slaves, though many of them were smart enough to not look up from their chores until their master had retreated back into his home. There was a range of different emotions crossing each face, and Electra ignored each and every one of them. They were of no concern to her.

"Why don't you wait back at the boat?" Damin whispered, turning away from the man and looking pointedly at Electra. She took this as a hint, immediately rolling her eyes and turning away. She didn't want to listen to another second of that man disrespecting her any more than he already had anyway.

Back tracking to the dock was easy, and there she went back into her ship and sat on her bed, staring at the ceiling, allowing the soft current to rock her and relax her. She allowed her mind to wander here and there.

First she allowed it to wander to Damin, whom she had persuaded, and quite easily at that, to show her where exactly he had sold Peter's sword. Normally among pirates, that would have aroused some particular suspicion. Damin knew Electra all too well, she was an honest soul, and never lied.

It was how she got away with bending the truth so easily, as she had with Queen Lucy's vial. She never said she actually sold it. She simply alluded to the fact that if sold, it would have been a large price. Alec had been the one who had taught her that particular trait.

Her mind wandered then to Alec and Veil. By now they would have arrived in Archenland, and would be traveling to Telmar as soon as possible. Whether that would have been upon their arrival or a few months later, Electra didn't know. What she did know, however, was that they would not be safe until they passed the mountains into the country itself. Even then, safe was a general term. No one anywhere could be safe from _Nomads_ if they were on the run.

Electra hoped with all her heart that Veil and Alec would be able to find peace in their new life together. Especially with a child on the way, if Veil's suspicions about being pregnant. Electra wasn't sure exactly how along she was, but the child would have probably arrived by late winter or early spring the next year. Veil had also promised to stop drinking for her child's sake, and Electra sincerely hoped she would keep that promise.

Electra knew that eventually, sometime in the future when the _Nomad_ crew had begun to suspect Alec and Veil less, Electra would have journeyed to Telmar to see the little baby herself. She wondered if it were to be a boy or girl. She knew Veil would have wanted a girl, but would have been equally as happy with a boy.

Topics shifted in Electra's mind and she once again began thinking of something else. What about a family of her own. Surely, even after all this piracy Electra would want to eventually settle down. But at sixteen and where she was, there wasn't much she could do about a possible future life she would want.

That's when King Edmund came back into her head. Growling, she turned over, shoving her head into her pillow to plummet herself into darkness, hoping her mind would follow suit. Unfortunately the image only grew sharper, clearer than before. But instead of turning back over to dull it out, she stayed as she was allowing the image and memory of him to wash over her.

She could no longer deny the fact now that she thought of him every moment her mind wasn't already occupied with something else. She couldn't simply excuse it as a mere infatuation any longer, not after so long. And the dream of Aslan?

So many nights her mind rested in nothingness to only awaken with dreams of Him along with the Royal Family the night she met King Edmund. No, she knew what she felt for him was something more. But that didn't mean she could let her thoughts continue, for a piratess in love with a King was probably the worst scenario that could be imagined.

Somehow she'd have to get over him. She wasn't sure exactly yet, but somehow she'd have to let him go just like she did the sea whenever she went inland. Only this time, she wouldn't be returning to it.

The mere thought of this made it hard for her to breathe. Never see him again? Despite he wore a mask; his mere presence had been almost intoxicating. Not only was he tall and dark, but also mysterious, however cliché that phrase was to anyone. Somewhere in his past was some sort of mystery that drew in Electra's curiosity. What was it that made him so attached to his siblings, so protective of them? And how much he seemed to look up to his elder brother, the High King Peter. And not because of the power he held.

Electra knew it had something to do with family love, one she could never know unless she had a family of her own. And that wasn't likely to happen unless she had a family of her own. And once again Electra was right back to her original problem, looking at her life that held almost no future.

And then there was Agatha, whose words still held doubt in her mind. The words still echoed within her head, etched in her mind forever. Escape death thrice before her nineteenth. She was sixteen, so that meant she still had a good number of years to go. But then again, nineteen was dawning on adulthood for a pirate, whose life expectancy here was no more than forty at the oldest. Perhaps nineteenth was just a random number and she only had a few weeks before the two other incidents happened. Then again she could have taken this all too seriously.

Electra finally sat up and looked back at her ceiling.

"If only it wasn't Alec who had found me," she whispered to herself. "If only it had been a respectable Lone Islander. Life would be so much easier."

But then what would have become of her life, she thought. Would she have become a mere slave, captured by the _Nomad _crew eventually before being sold off to Calormen to live out her life at the brothels?

At least with Alec she had learned how to fend for herself on her own, how to work to others disadvantages for self gain when it was necessary. Electra knew that at that moment, she preferred a free life to a good one. But what good was a free life without a future?

The door then opened and Electra lifted her head enough to see Damin enter, a broad grin on his face.

"How much?" she asked, not going any farther in explaining her question than that, for there was no need to.

"Enough to have to carry in a chest on a wagon while coming back here," he commented, grabbing her wrist and tugging it gently. "Come on, I need your help."

Electra followed him outside and helped him remove the gold from the wagon and into the cabin, where it would be less likely to be disturbed by anyone. Once inside, Damin opened the chest to show Electra the huge pile of gold inside, filled to the brim. Electra was lucky the boat hadn't sunk with all the added weight.

"Oh my…" she became speechless, her eyes wide as she stared at it.

"We're rich!" Damin exclaimed, picking her up and twirling her around as though she were a younger sister. "All just for Rhindon. Think of what Alec and Veil will say when they see this."

Electra wasn't sure what they'd say, but unfortunately they wouldn't see all the gold. She kept her mouth closed though, resolving to send a good sum of it to them, however, as they would need it. She watched as Damin grabbed a handful and placed it in a small bag before strapping it to his belt.

"Come on," he exclaimed, completely elated. He took hold of her wrist once more and tugged her outside. "I'm buying you a drink."

"You know what happens every time I try to drink," Electra laughed, allowing Damin to pull her off the ship, which was tied safely to the dock, and pulling her into the closest pub. It happened to be the exact same pub where the five of them had formulated the plan.

"Yeah," he commented, still laughing, "I know. You can drink water then."

"Water is free," Electra laughed, following Damin into a corner booth and sitting down.

"Which means I won't have to pay a cent," he replied with a smirk.

Electra ordered spiced wine, the more expensive but it was the one she preferred. Damin had his usual ale and the two began to talk more openly than they had earlier considering their disagreements.

"I can't wait to see the look on Veil and Alec's face," he said with a grin, sitting back and imagining the whole scenario in his head, his eyes glazed over with euphoria. "Veil will probably pass out. Alec's got a bigger stomach though. He might need a chair for that one."

"Damin?" Electra asked.

"Yes, Electra?" he asked.

She thought for a second about what she would tell him. After all, no true pirate could be trusted. She couldn't tell him exactly what was going on, but she could give him an overview perhaps.

"Veil and Alec told me they were going to be on their own for a while, and the location was only on a need to know basis." She took a deep breath. "I think it would be better if we just sent some of it to them and get their reaction when they get back."

Damin watched her closely. She could tell he wanted to know where they'd gone, and why. But when someone said 'only on a need to know basis,' it was safer not to know, and Damin knew this all too well.

"Alright," he replied, taking another drink. It was obvious he was disappointed he wouldn't be seeing their reactions to all the gold, but at least he would get one eventually. Or so he thought.

Electra went back to her wine, watching it in her cup before taking a sip. It wasn't the best she'd had, but it was still delicious. Perhaps this was her choice of drink after all.

"What happened to your necklace?" Damin suddenly asked.

"My necklace?" Electra's hand automatically went to her neck, where the fine chain and pendant usually always hung. Now it was missing, gone because she had given it to King Edmund. She couldn't tell that to Damin. It would have been considered foolish given what they did that night anyway.

"I must have lost it back in the Lone Islands," she said, trying to add a bit of sadness to her voice.

"I'm sorry," he replied, giving her a sympathetic look. "You can get a new one now, you know."

"I don't want a new one," she replied. "A new one wouldn't replace the old one. Besides it was old anyway."

She knew Damin wouldn't believe her. That necklace never left her neck as it was her most prized possession. Twice the chain broke and she tied the metal in a knot until she was able to acquire a new one. He had no chance to respond however, as there was a sharp snap as the pub door opened.

"Darit?"

Electra felt she was having déjà vu as Damin's brother entered with a urgent expression, glanced around the room before hurrying over to their table. He grabbed their wrists and pulled them toward the exit.

"Darit, what's your problem?" Damin asked.

"Move," he hissed urgently. Electra knew that tone all too well. Once again there was something very wrong. Electra followed Darit's lead without question, Damin soon to follow once he had left a few coins on the table.

The three hurried through the streets moving to the dock and on Electra's boat. Darit pushed the two inside before closing the door.

"What the hell is your problem?" Damin practically shouted.

"Someone saw you in the Lone Islands with High King Peter's Sword," he told his brother. "Not only is the _Nomad_ crew after your ass, but the Royal Flag Ship of Narnia is headed for Tashbaan as we speak."


	12. Escape

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Escape

Electra could have sworn time stood still. She couldn't hear her heart beating and her breath had stopped. Her eyes didn't peel away from Darit. The only thing that suggested time still went on was the soft rocking of the boat and the reminder in Electra's head of what Darit had just said: the Narnians were on their way.

"What?!?"

It was the first word that issued from Electra's mouth, but couldn't be stopped. Darit shook his head, a sign that she had heard him right the first time.

"Darit," Damin said, grabbing him by the shoulders tightly, "Who of us did they see?"

Darit shook his head. "Only you, I'd imagine," he replied. "They might recognize me. But I don't think they mentioned seeing Electra."

Damin turned back to Electra. There was a moment's pause when he simply stared at her before he suddenly moved with more speed than she'd seen in a while. He was quickly gathering things together. Damin then pulled the sack of coins from his belt and tossed it to Darit.

"Get back to the market," he said his voice strict with orders. "Get supplies and a horse then come back to the dock and I'll also load some gold onto the saddle as well."

"You'll need to get out of here quickly," Electra said, moving to help him.

"I'm staying in hiding here," he replied, turning on Electra. "You're the one who's leaving. I'm not risking you for my foolishness. You're going to ride away from here through the desert and into Archenland, don't dare go anywhere else. Establish a home and a career where you can hide out for a few months. For now, it is the safest place for you. Darit will take your ship and head back to the Lone Islands. He should be safe without me."

Electra watched him for a minute, Darit mimicking her before the two burst out into a range of shouting.

"Are you mad?"

"No way am I crossing the Desert into Archenland!"

"Don't act like an idiot!"

"You're going to be caught!"

"Shut up!" His shout quickly silenced the both of them. "Here, I know they'll hide me. I've done trading outside the _Nomad_. They're not going to give me up any time soon. Darit, you can't stay here. As long as you're with me, you're not safe. And Electra, you're not safe here either. Safe would mean becoming a maiden of a brothel, and I won't have you doing that! Now both of you get going!" He turned back and began gathering more things.

Electra hesitated, glancing at Darit before the two moved in unison outside. Electra wasn't used to being ordered around on her own ship, but there was no denying that she was scared beyond her wits this time.

It wasn't just her life she feared for though, it was what King Edmund would think when he found out how she had tricked and deceived him. The thought of him so angry at her he wouldn't be able to look her in the eye twisted her heart that made breathing difficult.

She had to slow down in her stride as she and Darit moved through the streets, gathering water and food, even a tarp Electra would need for her journey in the desert before acquiring a good horse, one that would last at least the journey.

Once back at the dock, Damin was waiting for them as they brought the horse over, careful to secure the bundles they had to the horse's saddle as well as some gold.

"Spend it wisely," he whispered to her, giving her a brotherly hug before allowing Darit to do the same. It was a rare thing to see pirates express such affection, but for what family they were, it seemed the right time now.

Electra nodded in response, knowing that most of it would be sent directly to Telmar. She would have gone herself, but it was still too dangerous, less she be followed, she didn't want anyone to catch Alec and Veil.

"Ride hard," Darit said, helping her onto the saddle. "And don't look back, it will slow you down. I'll take good care of your ship."

"You better," she teased, "Or you're going to buy me a new one."

"Stay away from the sea," Damin warned. "Don't go any farther than Anvard, if you must. Remember, Narnians aren't the only ones who will be looking for you."

Electra nodded, remembering the risks of fleeing the _Nomad_. "You two stay safe."

"There's a ship heading for inland," Darit said warningly, glancing at the horizon. "I can't be sure, but it might be the flag ship." He turned back to her. "Get on your way."

Electra didn't need to be told twice. She dug her boot hard into the horse's side before it set off in a hard gallop, its heels pounding against the streets before it few past the gates and across the bridge. Flat terrain surrounded her, the wind whipping in her face, her dark hair lashing everywhere as she rode onward.

For as heavy of a load she was carrying, the horse was moving undeniably fast and kept going on strongly. It's panting was barely heard above the wind, not its hooves. It seemed to be flying on air more than fleeing on ground. Had Electra not been running for her life, she might have actually enjoyed the ride.

By that time an orange glow had filled the sky, the sun slowly going down against the sea horizon, which Electra could still see, though she had been warned to stay away from. She knew if she wandered into the middle of the desert, she would be lost for sure, but if she traveled northward with the shore next to her, she would not be lost as easily.

Electra didn't slow down until she arrived at the large stretch of land right before the desert. She stopped the horse, sliding off of it and pulling out a canteen, allowing the horse to drink a fair quantity before closing it, taking none for herself. Electra knew how to fast with short amounts of food, being at sea for long periods of time. If she were going to make it through the desert, she would have to give all the water she could to the horse and as little to herself as possible.

Night quickly fell, and their progress began to slow. The horse slowly becoming more tired combined with the sand beneath them made traveling through the desert harder than Electra could have imagined. She was grateful however, for the cool sea breeze and the bright stars and moon to light her way. She decided this was how they would travel—move during the night and sleep under the large blanket with the horse during the daylight to keep the heat and sand off of them.

Electra didn't stop for a few more hourse, climbing off the horse's back and giving it another drink from the canteen. It was then empty. Electra dug a deep hole in the sand and placed the empty canteen inside before covering it back up. There was no need for the horse to carry dead weight. She then took another filled canteen and drank some herself, quenching the dry thirst that severely scratched her throat.

For the next hour she walked alongside the horse, giving it what rest it would need and taking a load off of its back for a bit, not to mention Electra needed to stretch her legs. She knew how to ride a horse, but was not used to doing so for large quantities of time.

Then once again she was back to riding. She couldn't have stopped until just before dawn, despite her being tired. What if the Narnians were right on her tail? She had glanced back a few times, but never saw anything against the horizon. Nor when she looked out to sea could she spot any sort of flagship. In fact, she never saw any ship out at sea all that day. It made her sick to her stomach. Exactly how much were the Narnians patrolling for pirates? Would anything be the same again?

It was a question she would be unable to answer, at least for the time being. All she could focus on now was getting through the desert as fast as she could. Despite being who she was, she prayed to Aslan that he would keep her safe until she reached civilization once again, for dying in a desert would truly be more excruciating than dying by the hands of man.

Electra did not stop again until a soft pink glow showed itself against the eastern horizon. It was then that she lay down in the sand, the horse lying next to her fast asleep from so much riding that day. Electra wasn't able to sleep just yet, considering how tired she already was from staying up so long for the past few nights. Perhaps it was her habit of watching the sunrise that kept her awake as she gazed up at the star filled sky, dancing above her peacefully.

She knew she couldn't afford staying up too much longer though, and for the first time in years, she pulled the covers over her head to shield the sun and impending heat it would bring from her as well as the sunrise.

The next few days continued on: fleeing by the night and sleeping by the day. Each night Electra would glance back behind her despite Damin's warnings. Each night she saw nothing in the southern sky, nor to the western as there were strangely no ships at sea. She felt more alone than ever, as though nothing in the world existed save for herself and the horse.

Eventually the desert ended. At first it seemed endless, just like the sea, only more evil. But it did end, turning flat dry sand into lush green hills outlining misty mountains. They had finally arrived in Archenland.

Electra glanced back at the vast empty desert. It had been an eerie feeling with no one around her, not in the sea or desert. And even now that she had reached the first emerald hills of Archenland she was still alone. It was an eeriness that made her feel as though she was the only soul left in this world.

The air was much cooler up here and when the softest breath of wind blew by, Electra shivered. She had been in the desert so long her body had started to become adjusted to the heavy heat and dry air. But now everything was cooler and the air heavy with moisture.

Electra slid off the horse, which she knew was heavy with exhaustion. It lowered its head to the emerald grass, which was surprisingly thick for how close it was to the desert, and enjoyed it its first fresh meal. Electra's legs hurt from riding the horse so much; she practically stumbled to the ground. The grass was prickly beneath her fingers, a major contrast to the soft sand she had been laying on the past few days.

She closed her eyes to listen to her surroundings which were much different than they had been during her time in the desert. She could hear the chirping of birds, the rustle of the wind through the trees in the distance, all were the sounds of life.

The soft sound of footsteps came to her hears. Slowly she opened her eyes and sat up, looking over at the horse. It had not moved a step and was still munching happily on the grass. When it moved a step forward, it was a harsh and loud step. The steps she had heard were soft and padded.

"Hello?" she asked into area around her.

Electra could see no one around, and to her that was more dangerous than being completely alone. Slowly she reached onto her left boot and pulled out a dagger, the only thing she had to protect herself with.

"If someone's there, show yourself," she ordered, her voice betraying her mild fear. What if someone had followed her all the way out here? Had she been completely oblivious to anyone following her? She doubted so, because everything had been empty.

Turned for a mere second, taking the horse's reins before turning back around. Still she was surrounded by nothingness. The mist was beginning to thicken up. Electra knew she'd have to hurry if someone was here.

Leading the horse, she placed the dagger back into her belt so she'd have it close by. She walked north, the leather reins tight in her hands as she moved. The horse seemed a bit reluctant to continue moving at first, but eventually picked up its pace and followed her lead. It seemed it hadn't heard the footsteps at all. Perhaps it was just Electra hearing things.

The sound of running waters met their ears; it was coming from somewhere in the distance ahead. Electra suddenly noticed how dry her mouth had become from lack of fresh water, and she could sense the tenseness of the horse as it also heard the sound.

The sound grew louder the closer they approached, indicating they were coming upon a river, and from what maps she had read, she knew it to be the River Winding Arrow that ran through the southern border of Archenland.

The mist thinned as the river drew closer. For as fast of a river it was, it moved rather slowly, slow enough that if one wished to venture across, they would have no problem moving without the current taking them away. All thoughts of the footsteps she had heard earlier thrown aside, she moved quickly to the river, letting go of the reins and kneeling down to drink from the water that welcomingly flowed its way downstream.

The water was cool and easily quenched her thirst; though Electra could not help but drink from the stream until her stomach began to hurt slightly. She splashed some of the water into her face before leaning back, the cool air whipping around her even more.

This time she welcomed the coolness, even though she still shivered against it. Goosebumps popped up onto her exposed arms. Of everything she had remembered to bring with her, she had to forget some sort of jacket. Air was colder in the north than in the south and Electra had been in such a hurry she had forgotten this small detail. She was so used to being on the sea, that wind and moisture air was not a problem for her.

It didn't help that summer was almost over and fall followed by winter was soon approaching. She stood up, her muscles still aching though not to the degree they had been before. The horse was still drinking furiously from the stream as though it had not tasted water in days.

Electra glanced across before looking back at the horse. She didn't know how deep the water ran and the horse still had somewhat of a heavy load it was carrying, though the water and food were almost completely gone. They would have to travel farther upstream to find a better area to cross. However, Electra decided to wait until she and the horse had a bit of a rest first. The journey through the desert had been long and hard and the horse needed to gain its strength back.

Electra took the reins once the horse lifted its head from the river and led it over to a single nearby tree that stood out along the side of the river. She used the reins to tether it before sitting down at the base. It took no time for her eyes to close and darkness to consume her.

When she awoke the sun had fallen, leaving a gold trail over the horizon. Electra sat still, watching the sun completely fade and the stars become the only light above them.

Electra stood up, stretching slightly. Somehow she felt warm against the night air, as though something had been shielding her from the cold she had felt before. She quickly disregarded it, moving over to the horse that was now sleeping. She untied the reins and patted its neck softly, her fingers getting slightly tangled in its matted mane.

"Come on," she whispered, patting its neck until its eyes opened. "We need to keep moving." Electra could tell it was reluctant to stand and move, though eventually it did follow her lead down the path of the river.

It wasn't until a few hours later they emerged from the water; Electra colder than she'd been in a long time. Her waterlogged clothes were soaked down to her skin making the wind appear more violent and chilled than she knew it to be. She kept close to the horse, trying to use what warmth it gave off to her advantage.

Slowly they made their way northward toward the mountains and forests where she knew Anvard, capital of Archenland lie, the one place that might be safe for Electra to be. As her comrade had informed her, she would have to find a place to hide out and away from the sea. The thought of that choked her slightly, but if it kept her and the others safe it was the best she could do.

Electra could only hope that no Narnians were already awaiting her arrival there.


	13. Life in Hiding

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

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Life in Hiding

Two months. Two months of excruciating painstakingly long months of hiding. Had Electra not been as strong willed as she was at keeping a low profile, she would have immediately left Anvard back to the open sea, where she would more than likely met by awaiting Narnians. Instead, she kept a low profile and stayed in Anvard where she knew was the safest place for her.

The first thing she had done upon arriving at Anvard was send as much gold as she could to Telmar, hoping it would reach Alec and Veil. She would have delivered it herself but that would have endangered them. Then she sold her horse and set off to find somewhere she could establish a living until the worst of this was over.

By some miracle, she was able to get a job as a maid in the castle at Anvard where King Lune ruled. They had not checked her for piracy marks, which Electra was thankful for, and all the maids and butlers wore black wrist cuffs as a sign they worked in the castle. Electra was given her own chambers in one of the towers.

Each morning at sunrise she looked out at the sea, wishing she could return to it. Each morning the gazes turned shorter and shorter as she became indulged with more chores. Being close enough to see yet far enough away from the sea was like being without an abundance of drinking water. There were a few drops to sustain the thirst but not enough to satisfy. At first, this withdrawal was horrible, as though she was being suffocated from the inside. Now it was more of a mild discomfort, being away for so long.

Electra probably wouldn't have been able to handle being around so many riches and money had she not been on the run. However a daily reminder that she was hiding kept her in check. The temptation wasn't as strong as she had originally thought it would have been, but none the less, it was still there.

Her mind was not only on the sea, however. They also stayed with the Just King of Narnia. Only once had a delegation come from the north seeking company with King Lune, and they had consisted of Queen Susan and Queen Lucy. Once Electra thought the young Queen might have caught a glimpse of her, but it wasn't long enough to gain any sort of suspicion.

This incident tore at Electra's insides, for she didn't know whether she would have liked the young Queen to recognize her or not. On one hand, she could have been imprisoned. On the other, she would have seen King Edmund again. Though the conditions probably would have been less pleasant than the time they met at the masquerade celebration.

It wasn't long before the Queens left for Narnia once more. What their original motives for coming here were, Electra wasn't sure but them leaving gave her two feelings. The first: relief that they wouldn't find her out. The second: sorrow that they hadn't taken her back to Narnia.

"Watch what you're doing," a stern voice came from behind her.

Electra jumped slightly, almost spilling the bucket of soapy water she was carrying across the stone foyer floor. It would have created a huge mess, but since she was helping clean it anyway, it wouldn't have been that huge of a deal.

"Of course not, sir," she replied, turning and nodding to the head butler of her segment, whose title was 'watcher.' Electra got the feeling he never liked her in the first place, though the reason for this was uncertain. Electra took a firmer grip on the bucket handle before walking over to Ashen, who was busy scrubbing the floor on the other side of the entrance hall.

"Thank you," he said up to her with a smile. "I'm sorry, I know I've already been here a week but I'm horrible with names."

"Electra," she reminded him. She wasn't sure why she used her real name here while she was hiding, as not that many people she came across had that name, but still she felt severely attached to it. It was as if, if she gave up her name, she was giving up the only piece of her that was still real.

"I'm sorry, Electra" he replied.

She shook her head, leaning down to help him scrub the floor. She was used to such tedious work when the Nomad went out for longer hauls for weeks on end, which was good because now she could look like she'd been a maid her entire life.

"It's alright," she replied. "I understand if people forget it. Not that many people come across that name, it's a bit unusual."

"Hence why I should remember it," Ashen mumbled with a laugh, trying to get a rather stubborn scuff of dirt off the floor.

Electra pushed a piece of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes behind her ear before continuing to scrub as well. The water felt good against her skin; combined with the soap, it had the same texture as sea foam did, and made her feel almost at home. Almost.

"You make sure those floors are so clean the King would eat from them," their watcher said, walking over the already cleaned part of the floor, making tracks as he moved. Electra growled to herself before moving over to scrub that part of the floor once again. If she wasn't in hiding at the moment, she would have gladly slit the man's throat for the bastard he was.

"Yes, sir," Ashen replied for the both of them. Despite him only arriving a week prior, he knew how much she despised the man and her temper could flare in an instant. Electra glanced at Ashen, enough for him to know it was a thankful glance before turning back to scrubbing the floor. The watcher turned to leave.

"Doesn't matter how much we clean this place up," Electra grumbled, only loud enough for Ashen next to her to hear. "He'll always be unimpressed and make it spotty again. I'd like to see him get down on his hands and knees and scrub. He'd be in a good position so I could kick him in the ass."

She heard Ashen hold back a snicker of approval, as a grin curled on the corners of her lips. What she wouldn't have done to beat him black and blue with a splash of red. Had he known who she really was, he would have treated her much differently.

"Where are you from, Electra?" Ashen asked.

Electra turned to face him, a bit surprised at this. It was something she had not been expecting, yet she imagined him asking her much sooner than this.

"The Lone Islands," she replied. "Why?"

"Just your name," he replied, his eyes still on scrubbing. "It isn't Archenland. And you're skin's got a pale gold tan to it. But your name isn't Narnian either. Did you move to the Lone Islands as a child?"

Electra slowly shook her head. Did this man know something she didn't? "No. Why? Where does the name sound like it comes from?"

Ashen looked up at her, thinking. "Well, actually it sounds like it's from one of the countries that used to lie south of Calormen. I can't remember the name of it though. It was taken over by Calormen years ago." He shrugged, going back to scrubbing.

Electra watched him closely. What did he know about her that she didn't even know, about where she might have been from? Her eyes never left his. "How do you know this?"

Ashen shrugged again. "I was taught history well before I became a man servant here. I was supposed to be a tutor for the princes, Cor and Corin, before the elder disappeared without a trace. But that title was handed to a different man, and I taught for some of the children of Anvard. Unfortunately I couldn't find any other jobs and this is the only other job I could get at the time with decent pay."

Electra gave a soft laugh; her mind still on what he said before but pretending it had passed. "Well, with how old the tutor is now, I imagine it won't be long until you get your promotion," she said. The two shared another short laugh before returning to their chores; Electra's mind was still elsewhere.

Alec said she had been abandoned by her family, lost to the sea. Yet what Ashen said did make sense. She had an extremely unusual name, one that was unlike any other she'd heard before in any of the countries she'd visited. Was it true she could be from some country that no longer existed because of the Calormens? It wasn't an entirely implausible idea, and something about the certainty in Ashen's voice made her wonder. What really had happened in her past that had caused her to become a wanderer of worlds.

"How long ago did Calormen take over those countries?" she asked, attempting to sound casual.

"Anywhere between fifty years ago until the present, I'd imagine," he answered as though the conversation were no big deal, even though it was to Electra.

Anywhere between fifty and the present, that included the time Electra had been lost ten years ago. Could it be that somewhere south of Calormen laid the hidden history of her past? Her fingers went to her neck, but it was bare. Surprised, she glanced down. Her necklace wasn't there. Then she remembered, she'd given it away. For a fleeting second she wished she'd had it back so she could show Ashen. Perhaps he would have been able to give her a clue as to where the unique writing it held.

Electra went back to scrubbing the floor silently, forcing her mind to focus on that before their watcher came back and yelled at them. It wasn't their watcher, however, that next approached them, but the head servant of the entire court of Anvard, Nait. With him he had another maid of the castle.

"You two," he said sternly to Ashen and Electra. The two of them immediately stood, Ashen bowing slightly and Electra curtsying to show respect for his higher position.

"Yes, sir?" she asked, looking up at Nait respectfully, doing everything she could to show her innocence. No doubt she had been told on and he had come to punish her. But if so, why would he indicate the two of them. She hoped that she hadn't gotten Ashen into trouble either.

"The two of you will pack what you need," he motioning for them to follow him. They did so without question, leaving the maid there to finish their doing. "King Lune will be heading to Narnia with his son Cor soon and you along with a few other servants. You will be leaving at dawn tomorrow and will be staying for about two and a half weeks."

Electra hadn't registered everything, only to the part where she would be going to Narnia. No… that wasn't good. Why her? Why now? Electra noticed she had stopped in her tracks and quickly moved to join them again.

"Could someone go in our stead if we wished it?" she asked, trying her hardest not to show the fear in her voice. What if she went to Narnia and was found out?

Nait turned quickly to her, eyeing her closely. "Do you have a good reason as to why you cannot go yourself?"

Electra stood dumbfounded. For once she could not think of one single reply, one remark that might have gotten her out of this death sentence. Her stomach sinking she slowly shook her head, a foreboding sense of impending doom filling her.

"Then no one will be taking your place," he replied, turning and moving off to find others who had been assigned to take the journey as well. Electra stood rooted on the spot, her stomach churning uncomfortably.

"Narnia," Ashen whispered, apparently not noticing Electra's frantic state of mind. "We actually get to go to Cair Paravel in Narnia. Won't that be exciting?"

Electra gave a short hollow laugh. "Yes, exciting." She swallowed, feeling herself grow a bit dizzy. "Could you excuse me for a moment?"

Without waiting for a reply she turned sharply and headed down the hallway as fast as she could without looking suspicious. At the end she reached a flight of stairs, fumbling her way up them as quickly as her legs would let her, tripping a few times here and there, not helping her churning stomach. She didn't stop until she reached the top of the tower, heading down the hall a little ways and entering through a wooden door.

Her room was plain, almost uninviting. Barely taking the time to close the door behind her, she ran over to a large basin that sat near her dresser and promptly threw up in it.

She couldn't go to Narnia. It was too risky, too dangerous for her, but it wasn't only that. She didn't know if she could possibly face King Edmund again. The horror of what would happen if they discovered her hit her like a log against her stomach. Her body wanted to gag once more, but she couldn't do it. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, taking several deep breaths to try and calm herself.

"Electra?"

Electra turned her head to see Ashen in the doorway, a worried look on his face. She quickly placed the basin out of sight to be cleaned out later so he wouldn't see.

"Are you alright?" he asked, taking a step inward.

Electra nodded, standing up and going over to a second basin to wash her hands. "I'm fine," she replied, refusing to look him in the eye. "I just didn't think I'd be one of the few going to Narnia. It's a bit terrifying."

"Have you been there before?" he asked, looking at her with a mixture of curiosity and awe.

Electra swallowed hard, hoping he didn't see. "Once," she replied, drying her hands on a towel, "though I wasn't expecting to go back so soon."

"Aren't you glad to be going back?" he inquired. "I heard it's one of the most beautiful places in this entire world."

Electra didn't answer him immediately; instead, she brooded on the question. Somewhere deep inside, she was glad to be going back to Narnia. She hadn't seen much of it, but of what she had seen it was beautiful. And she'd be returning to Cair Paravel. She would get to see him again.

On the other hand, she could be found out, tortured, hung, any number of different things could happen to her, if they found her out. If.

All of this brooded on if she would be recognized or not. She doubted the High King himself would recognize her, for he had never met her. Queen Susan, she also doubted, would recognize her. It was King Edmund and Queen Lucy she worried about, mostly King Edmund. If Queen Lucy asked, she could merely comment she'd been in Anvard at the same time.

And it wasn't as though she could run away at night. Guards were positioned everywhere and might become suspicious at her sudden leaving the night before she was to arrive in Narnia.

"I have mixed feelings about returning," she answered truthfully to Ashen, deciding it best to be as truthful as possible without giving too much away. She was a bit vulnerable now as it was, and any hint of lying would have been a dead giveaway. She could tell he knew she was holding something back, but was thankful he didn't press the matter.

"Would you like me to help you pack your things?" he offered.

Electra shook her head. "No," she responded flatly. "I can do it."

Ashen paused for a moment before slowly nodding his head and turning his back on her, heading to his own quarters. Electra took another deep breath to steady herself before cleaning up the mess she made earlier.

Upon returning back to the room Electra slowly began filling up her trunk with her dresses that she would need to accompany her to Narnia. She was moving much slower than normal, and a few hours later she was sitting in front of her full and open trunk, staring at everything inside.

Everything in the trunk defined who she had pretended to be for the past two months, who she had become. She turned to make sure the door was closed before untying the leather straps that held the black wrist cuff to her left arm. She freed herself of it and looked down at her bare arm. A white scar laughed up at her in the shape of a white 'P.' Growling, and hating seeing it there, she quickly wrapped the cuff around her wrist once more before tying it tighter than necessary.

If only Alec had waited, then she wouldn't have had this curse to bear. If anyone found it, she was as good as dead. "Curse Alec," she mumbled to herself. "I should have told him I wanted to wait."

Electra couldn't remember why it had seemed like getting the brand then had been such a good idea. Had it been simply because Alec told her to get it done, and he usually knew what was best? Or was it because some stupid Calormen wouldn't do business with her because she wasn't branded? Electra growled to herself, slamming the trunk closed and locking it.

Two servants were soon up to take her trunk downstairs to be taken to Narnia in the morning. Electra stayed in her room that night, completely missing dinner despite her hunger, and staring at the ceiling all while keeping her blankets wrapped tightly around her. She knew before daylight she would be on horseback making her way to Narnia with Ashen and a few others King Lune decided to bring with him.

She turned over, looking out her musty window as best as she could, though little light shone through. She sighed, turning her back on it and closing her eyes. Perhaps if she wished it hard enough, everything that was to pass could simply be a horrible dream.

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**A/N: Because the previous chapter was a bit boring, I'm making up for it by posting two. :) ****I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**


	14. Negotiations

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

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Negotiations

She had not been dreaming. Instead Electra awoke early to find herself on her way to Narnia. Marching there with a band of Archenland escorts made her feel as though she was walking to her doom. She wondered how long it would take for them to find her out. An hour? Two? A day? Certainly not the entire two and a half weeks they would be staying with them?

They arrived in Narnia all too soon, and overhead stood the looming castle of Cair Paravel. Naturally, the two Kings and two Queens of Narnia would be in the front to greet King Lune as he stepped out of his carriage with Prince Corin. Electra and the other five servants who had been brought along remained out of conversation to take their things up to the chambers they had been assigned for the next two and a half weeks.

However, when they arrived at the castle early that evening, Electra noticed only three royals standing, waiting to greet their neighboring king, one was missing. King Edmund was not among those standing in front of Cair Paravel, awaiting their guests.

This tore at Electra, as she didn't know whether to take this as inviting news or not. As the Kings and Queens and prince greeted one another, they were too busy to notice any of the servants beginning to unpack their trunks and take them inside.

Electra stepped into the front doors of Cair Paravel for the second, and what seemed like would be the last time in her life. When before the walls and decored halls seemed inviting they were now a tomb that held her accountable for her actions. Electra kept her head down and simply following the shadows of those who preceded her.

Electra spent most of her time that evening avoiding the other inhabitants of Cair Paravel. Whenever a servant would be called to assist King Lune or Prince Corin, Electra would be sure she was too busy with something to assist them at the moment. She should have known it wouldn't last forever, let alone a day, because all of the servants were called down at dinner.

She stood with the rest of the servants along the back wall as they all filed in. King Peter sat at the head of the table, Queen Susan to his left and Queen Lucy next to her. The chair to Peter's left remained unoccupied, and King Lune sat across from Queen Lucy, his son on the other side of him.

Electra kept her head down, studying the tiling on the floor. She could not drone out the conversation that was coming from the table however.

"Mr. Tumnus and I are planning on visiting the Beavers," the young Queen spoke up, looking at her brother and sister. "We're planning on leaving sometime either tomorrow or the day after that."

"Lucy," Queen Susan interjected, "Now is not the best time to be leaving. Besides, we have company to attend to."

"I have no problem with Lucy going," King Peter interjected, silencing Susan's thoughts. Electra couldn't help but glance up at the sandy haired King. He had a kind face but a strong will, one that demanded authority even without trying. "But take a guard with you. These are rough times."

"I will," Queen Lucy replied cheerily, going back to her plate.

"Can I go, Dad?" Electra heard the young prince ask. Electra couldn't help but give a small smile. Prince Corin was always one for adventure.

"If you are invited by Queen Lucy, then you may," he replied, not bothering to look up from his meal.

"I won't want to endanger dear Prince Corin," Queen Lucy spoke up. It was apparent she would very much like the company, but didn't want any harm to come to the boy.

Electra watched the table carefully, wondering how this would play out. On one hand, both Prince Corin and Queen Lucy very much wanted to journey to the Beavers, whoever they were. On the other hand, there was a pirate risk, as well as the remainder of the White Witch's army that was out and about.

"I trust my friends of Narnia," King Lune said with a smile.

Queen Lucy grinned widely, giving Prince Corin an excited smile before returning to her meal, a bit more cheerful than before. It was then King Lune addressed the High King.

"I hope things are going better for you," he said. "I have heard your country has had a few misfortunes the past few months."

"One attack in Owlwood from the White Witch's old supporters," the High King replied. "They wiped out one of the Marshwiggle villages, but there's no trace of where they went."

"And the pirate situation?"

There was a hard silence that followed. Electra's muscles involuntarily twitched as she kept herself as innocent looking as possible without being obvious. Luckily it seemed no one noticed her.

"Still being taken care of," he replied, obviously irritated by the situation. "Our brother is in the Lone Islands doing what he can about the situation now."

King Edmund was in the Lone Islands then, Electra thought. She knew it was dangerous there, especially for a king. She sincerely hoped he had brought bodyguards along with him as well as plenty of soldiers. Many there might soon gain the same idea Damin first had.

The topic soon changed however, leaving Electra the will to brood in her own thoughts rather than listen to negotiations of where to draw the new border between Archenland and Narnia as well as the far yet upcoming Christmas Celebration for the two countries that was to be held here. Electra's attention only snapped back up when one of the higher servants told her to bring pour the Kings and Queens more spiced wine. Then she began to shake a bit.

She walked over to the far table, grabbing the pitcher and the cloth before returning to the table of the Kings and Queens. Trying to remain as invisible as possible, she quietly poured all of them drinks.

"Do I know you?"

Electra almost faltered in pouring King Lune her drink. Luckily she was able to catch herself before any of it spilled. She looked at the youngest Queen who had addressed her, watching her with a bewildered gaze.

Electra swallowed. "You came to Archenland about a month ago, your Majesty," she replied, trying to calm herself. Thank goodness she had grown an Archenland accent in the past few months, or her voice might have been more recognizable. "Could that be when you saw me?"

Queen Lucy tilted her head thinking hard. Now her sister was also watching Electra closely, as she too realized only then how familiar she looked. Electra's grip tightened on the pitcher as she mentally prepared herself to run if she needed to do so.

"That must have been it," Queen Lucy mumbled, obviously contradicting herself inside her head. Electra could read the battle within without her having to voice it. She obviously knew her from somewhere, yet unable to fully pin it down, she decided that had to be the only reason. Electra glanced at Queen Susan. She seemed less convinced that that was the only place to have seen her, yet unwilling to press the matter. For that, Electra was grateful.

The week passed with little to no events that had any huge impact on the castle life despite the negotiations between Archenland and Narnia. Queen Lucy had left earlier that week with Prince Corin and Mr. Tumnus to meet up with the Beavers. A raven had returned announcing their safe arrival, and no news of where the White Witch's old supporters could have gone. They were due to arrive back in two days time.

Electra was busy helping the Narnians in the kitchen clean, doing anything to avoid the Kings and Queens of Narnia. She had brought Ashen with her as company, so as not to look too out of place. Not that it helped, they always seemed to find her without trying, no matter what the reason for being in the place was. On that particular day, the High King Peter was speaking with one of his faun guards about his brother. Electra was sure to listen in closely.

"Edmund still hasn't answered back in three weeks," the High King told the guard. "And there were rumors of pirates surfacing in Narrowhaven while he was there—"

The sound of the High King's words behind her made her heart stand still. Her hand tightly flexed the thin delicate glass she was carefully cleaning. It shattered, shards of glass making deep welts in her hand. Electra bit back a cry as the pain seared her palms, oozing deep crimson blood.

"Electra!" Ashen shouted taking her palms in his hand and looking at the wounds with a shock and fear.

"Is she alright?" the High King asked worriedly, coming over, picking up a cloth and taking Electra's hands in his to help clean up the mess. "Fetch some alcohol to clean this with," he told the guard he had been speaking to. The guard nodded and hurried off.

It was something she had never seen a king do before, but the pain caused her mind to not care about that at the moment. From all the stories she had heard, she had always thought of Queen Lucy as the doctor of the family.

"I'll go get the bandages," Ashen commented before hurrying off.

"Yes, your Majesty," she whispered in reply to his first question, attempting to pull the glass from her palms. Tears streamed down her face from the pain she was in.

"Hold still," the High King commanded, taking her hands and carefully picking the shards from them. Blood was now seeping down her palms and past her wrist cuffs, staining the sleeves of her shirt. Electra glanced up at the High King. Why would he take the time to help a servant of King Lune?

"Sorry, this will be a bit painful," he commented, taking the last shard out and pouring a bit of water over her wounds. "This would be so much easier if we had Lucy's cordial back."

He was now more or less speaking to himself, but that didn't keep him from being heard. Electra held her breath, more of the subject of the cordial than anything. It took Electra a minute to notice he was suddenly untying the leather cords that bound her wrist cuffs to her arms. Her eyes widened in fear.

"Your Majesty," she protested, attempting to pull away.

"We have to clean you off," he answered patiently, not giving in. "These are getting in the way."

"No! Please, I beg of you!"

She felt his hands stiffen on hers as the cuffs fell to the ground. Her own heart started beating harder and faster as the clear brand showed itself. The blood hadn't covered the scar, instead it seemed to stand out all the more with the red framing it. Electra didn't dare to look up in the High King's eyes, for their usual slate blueness were probably on fire with fury. She tried to pull back, but his hands kept tight around her wrists.

"Guards!"

"No!" she cried, her now painful tears turning into terrified ones.

Electra attempted to pull away, this time using what strength she had almost forgotten in the two months of hiding. She was able to slip away, running barely two feet toward the entrance before his rough hand caught her upper arm.

"Gaurds!" he shouted again, this time keeping a firm hold of her and refusing to release her from his grasp.

About five guards showed up in the doorway. Electra's eyes widened even farther in fear, and for the first time she turned to see King Peter's face. She had been right to guess they were blazing with fury. His face was set, stone cold and full of authority. She almost cowered in his sight, but was too busy struggling to free herself. The guards immediately grabbed her by the upper arms so their High King didn't need to hold her any more.

"Take her to the dungeons," he ordered.

"No!" Her scream was one of a terrified child, afraid to be left alone in the dark in fear of monsters. She knew she couldn't struggle herself free, but what else could she do? "Please!"

"How dare you use the kindness of King Lune to hide yourself," he snarled, taking a step away from her and no longer doing the honor of looking at her. "He will be told of your treason and you will be punished for it."

"No!" she screamed, using any manner she had to get away as they pulled her out of the kitchen. "Your Majesty! I'll do anything! Please!"

"I don't want to hear your filthy excuses," he sneered, turning back to wash his hands of what blood had gotten on them.

"I know where your treasures reside!"

A silence filled the room as all eyes fell on Electra, save for hers which were frantically watching the High King for any sign of hope. The King slowly turned to face her, a mixture of emotions behind his blue eyes. She swallowed, hoping he would believe her. It was all she had.

"How dare you address the High King as such?" one of the guards growled, attempting to find fault in her words. "You are not worthy enough to even breathe the same air as him, you bloody pirate."

"I will show you where they all are," Electra declared in breathless hope, ignoring the guard though it would have foolish to do so. "Queen Susan's horn. Your Majesty's and King Edmund's sword, all of them." Her eyes pleaded as they watched him.

The king board into her soul, and she could read they were calculating whether she was to be trusted or not. If there was such a time where one would have been able to read her actions clearly, she hoped this would have been it.

"And you simply want freedom in return?" he asked, testing her. "How do I know I can trust a pirate like you?"

"They've been gone for two months," Electra replied hurridly. "I can get them back to you now. I can tell you how to find the crew of the _Nomad_. I can show you where the black market resides in Narrowhaven so you can shut it down." She swallowed, gambling the next bit. "All I ask is that I am pardoned for all my previous crimes."

She suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head as one of the guards smacked her hard. "Who are you to make such deals with the High King?"

Electra's eyes found the High King's again, they had never left her. Her eyes returned his gaze, begging pleading for this.

"You mentioned all our treasures but Queen Lucy's cordial," the High King noted, taking a step toward her. "What of her treasure?"

"That too," Electra nodded. "I can tell you where that is as well."

Another long pause filled the dungeons. Electra could tell the High King was considering all of this, more than he'd considered anything. This was a huge risk she was taking, but one the High King would have to take as well. If he believed her, Electra had a chance of going back and becoming a pirate once again. If not, when would he ever find their treasures?

The silence was interrupted by a Raven flying in the window. "Your Majesty," he bowed politely. "King Edmund sends word. He has still had no sign of any of the treasures. He asks your Majesty to send word back with what to do next."

King Peter's eyes never left Electra through this entire message. In fact, Electra wondered if he'd even heard the Raven.

"Send him word to come home," the High King ordered, not taking his eyes off Electra still. "He needs to be in Cair Paravel. I'm taking over in the search."

The Raven bowed before flying out the window once again. Electra watched the black bird fly through the window. She sincerely hoped it wouldn't tell the young King all it may or may not have seen here.

King Peter finally turned to one of the guards. "Send one of the Hawks out to Lucy and Prince Corin. Tell them to come back to Cair Paravel immediately. And inform King Lune that I'll be going out to sea, and I'll be taking one of his maids with me." The guard nodded before turning and walking off.

He turned toward Electra, hatred etched in his eyes. "For your sake, I pray to Aslan you aren't lying." He turned back to the guards. "Take her to the dungeons."

Electra struggled at being taken to the dungeons, but didn't struggle enough to get away. She was put in her cell. It was small and cramped, the bars rusted slightly, but in no way about to give way to her freedom. One guard sat outside her cell while another stood at the bottom of the stair, the only way out. She wouldn't have been surprised if there was another at the top of the stairs.

She sighed, sitting on her hard cot with one wool blanket, so thin she doubted if there would be a temperature difference whether she used it or not. Her eyes glanced up at the wall, one window that wouldn't have been big enough to fit her small figure through even had the bars been gone.

She lay back on the cot, wondering what was to become of her next. Clearly she was going to be joining the High King to get back their treasures. She was more than certain the buyers would not have sold them. These treasures would have been more priceless than all the gold in the worlds.

But when she was finally free? She had betrayed the pirate world, agreeing with their worst enemy to show them where exactly to find the Black Market and the _Nomad_. She was to be hunted for the rest of her life it seemed.

Still, Electra couldn't help but wonder if the High King had the heart of a pirate as well. When she did get their things back, would he pardon her like she had bargained, or would he kill her like the traitor she was? They never had finalized the agreement, and not knowing what was to become of her made her feel all the more insecure.


	15. Open Sea

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Open Sea

The salty sea air blew past Electra and the open sea welcomed her home once again, allowing her dark curls to dance lightly around her shoulders. Only this time, it was though she was looking at it behind a closed window: visible yet unreachable. The feeling was worse than when she had been trapped within the confines of Anvard.

Electra glanced over at the guard standing next to her, making her feel more a prisoner than if the High King had made her wear irons. The reason as to why he did this, she wasn't sure. Nor did she venture to ask in fear of being put into them.

Her mind wandered back to when they had first boarded the ship. It was less than an hour after King Edmund had arrived back in Narnia. Electra made sure not to gain his attention while at the dock, silently moving onto the ship while his elder brother told him what to do in their absence. There was a fleeting second when she felt a pair of eyes on her, yet when she turned back around there was no one watching her. King Edmund and those who had just arrived back at Cair Paravel were heading up to the castle.

"Where are they?"

The voice of the High King made her thoughts vanish into thin air. She turned to see him, his gold crown glistening brightly in the sunlight against his sandy blonde hair.

"I beg your pardon, your Majesty?" she asked, curtsying politely before allowing him to take her full attention.

"Our treasures," he said, the mildest hint of impatience in his voice. "Where are they?"

Electra knew that she would be interrogated sometime on the ship. She just simply wasn't expecting it right then.

"Queen Susan's horn and King Edmund's sword are in Narrowhaven. They were sold to two different merchants of the black market. Your sword, your Majesty, is in Calormen."

"How is it you know these things?" he asked.

"I was there when they were sold."

"And what of Queen Lucy's cordial? You pretend to be indifferent when it comes to her possession."

Electra smiled in spite of herself. "Do you really think a pirate who stole such an item would sell it?"

She could see the Kings eyes pouring over this riddle. There was a hint of suspicion that it might have been her who stole such an item. Yet what if it wasn't, and she knew where it was?

"I must ask," the King then spoke, "Pirates are supposed to be smart. What could have led you to do such a foolish thing as steal our possessions?"

At this Electra couldn't help but laugh. "Pirates are smart but our greed runs our life. Besides it was much less foolish than the original plan." She turned her back on him watching the open sea.

She could feel the guard beside her tense up, but she didn't care at this point. What would happen to her would happen. There was little she could do to avoid it.

"And this was?"

Electra turned back to look at the King, surprised to find the two of them now alone. He must have sent the guard away so they could talk to one another in private. Somehow, Electra was thankful for this; she didn't want others to know what they had originally been planning.

"There were those who wished to kidnap their Majesties for higher ransom," she stated flatly, hiding any and all emotion. She was curious as to how he would take this news. Would he kill her on the spot? Throw her down in the brig again?

Instead he simply watched her, his calculating eyes taking in every tone and movement of her muscles. She felt as though she were being watched by some sort of guard in fear of suddenly stealing something, though that was almost impossible now, unless she decided to take his crown. It made her feel slightly out of place.

"But you talked them out of it," he stated. Electra blinked, not expecting this at all from the High King. The High King's mouth turned at the corners forming the smallest of smiles as he read her perplexed expression perfectly. "You're very good at talking people out of things, if you haven't noticed," he said. "I offer you my thanks for your services."

"I'm still a pirate," she replied, completely confused by what was going on. "I helped steal your treasures… and you're thanking me?"

The High King gave her a rare smile. "Would you like me to take it back?"

"No!" she replied hurriedly before struggling to make up for her rudeness. "I simply meant, your Majesty, that I am flattered but yet confused by why you are offering the likes of me thanks."

"Items, though important, are easily disposable," he said. "Yet a life is much more than that. I would happily and easily trade in my sword if it saved one of my siblings from being taken from me."

Electra couldn't help but give a small smile. The High King, though greatly intimidating, was exceedingly wise and kind for his age. Such things were not easily found in Electra's life.

"Your brother is very much like yourself," she said with a smile, thinking back to the little time she had spent with the dark haired king. "I can see why he looks up to you so much."

Now it was King Peter's turn to be confused, he watched her closely. "How do you know Edmund?"

Electra froze, suddenly realizing what she had said. Of any possible thing she could have said to him, this was the worst. He would see in her eyes how she felt when she thought back to King Edmund. His kind dark eyes, his bright smile, his handsome features, his gentle and just nature. And she knew the High King could read her thoughts as though they were written plainly on her face.

"Electra," he said out loud, though it was once again to himself. In his tone she could hear him putting the pieces of the puzzle together. "That's a southern name, even farther south than Calormen," he commented to himself. "One that hasn't been used in years. Ten years in fact."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she commented quickly, and somewhat truthfully, turning away toward the sea again. Electra didn't want him to know; she knew all too well what would happen if he did.

"And the script they used was unique," he replied, moving closer to her, attempting to gain her attention once again. "Like the pendant Edmund always carries around. You gave it to him, didn't you? You gave him that pendant on the gold chain."

"You can't prove it," Electra said, staring at the High King in the eyes, trying to beat back his gaze. "You can't prove anything."

"Your name is Electra," he commented, a victorious look in his eyes. "The pendant says 'Electra.'"

Her muscles tightened in shock. How? How could he of all people know what it said? No one in all of Narnia or any of the worlds she traveled for the past ten years knew of the lettering that was etched in her necklace. Yet the High King, whom had seemingly appeared out of nowhere with his three siblings had somehow figured this out.

"How…?" Her words didn't get past the one.

"The library of Cair Paravel is vast and full of much knowledge," he replied, his voice turning stony once again. "Being High King it is by duty to read up on the history of Narnia and its neighbors."

Electra swallowed, unable to say anything. Even if she could she didn't know what to say.

"One already used my brother to get at his siblings," he growled harshly, making Electra take a step back into the dock railing. "It won't happen again."

Electra shook her head, confused by what he meant by 'again.' "That's not what happened, your Majesty," she pleaded. "He was simply showing me how to dance. I swear that was all. I was not trying to use him to gain information or anything of the sort. I swear on my life I didn't."

The High King's eyes continued to bore into her soul. She felt almost cowardly enough to jump into the sea and force herself to drown. His stare forced her to stand her ground, however, keeping her from moving at all.

"For your sake, you better not have," he said, taking a step away from her and regaining his regal composure. "My brother has been through enough. He doesn't need another witch manipulating his mind."

Electra blinked. Another witch? What was he talking about? Slowly the pieces started melting together, but not forming the larger picture just yet. "Did your King Edmund have something to do with the White Witch, your Majesty?" The King's eyes flashed and she found herself cowering under his gaze once again.

"That is none of your business," he scolded. "Or have you not heard the rumors already?" She slowly shook her head, biting her lip and swallowing. What could have happened to enrage the High King like this?

"Good," he replied turning away from her so he wouldn't have to look at her again. "Keep your tongue and ears to yourself then, and I may take your offer of pardon seriously."

"Your Majesty-"

"And stay away from my brother," he snapped. "You are no concern of his, nor is he of yours. You have betrayed your Kings and Queens, Electra. And that will not be taken lightly. I may disregard the brand on your arm now, but I swear, if I ever hear your name used foully I will hunt you down to the end of the sea and it will be the end of you. Do you understand me?"

It took a moment for the overwhelming feeling of the harshness of his words to subside slightly. Finding herself shaking, she nodded and curtsied slightly, her head slightly declined.

"Perfectly, your Majesty," she whispered, red hot tears coming to her eyes.

She heard the clicking of his boots against the wood deck as he walked off back to his cabin. Electra glanced out at sea once again wishing she could start over on that day that Alec had found her, only this time she drowned instead.

They arrived at the Lone Islands. To Electra, it was almost too soon, yet at the same time not soon enough. It seemed every eye would have been watching her, glaring at her for being the traitor she was if she had been on deck as they docked. Instead, she was in the brig busy drawing a map of Narrowhaven on parchment with an ink quill she had obtained.

Multiple footsteps echoed her ears as she heard someone descending the stairs, but she didn't turn to see who it was. She was placing the finishing touches on her map.

"Electra, where are they," the High King's stern voice asked from behind her.

Electra stood up, turning to face the High King, and his guard behind him. She gave him a short curtsy before handing him the parchment map. "I have indicated where you will find all of the black market merchants and who exactly has King Edmund and Queen Susan's horn," she said simply.

"I was under the inclination you were to accompany us," the High King responded dryly.

"When I return all of your lost treasures, your Majesty" Electra replied respectfully, "I am under the indication that I will not be welcome back in Narnia with open arms. Nor Archenland. If I deface my name here, where else am I to go?"

There was a moment of silence between them before the High King turned and headed up the stairs. Surprised this reasoning worked, she sat back down in the stool and leaned against the table she had been drawing on. Now all she could do was wait.

Hours passed; Electra's only knowledge of this was the cracks of light peering through the wood walls of the ship moved across the table slowly. Electra had been lulled to sleep once or twice from the rocking of the ship, but mostly she simply sat beneath the dock, bored beyond damnation.

The sound of loud muffled voices above as well as hurried footsteps made Electra jump up from her chair, glancing up though she would have been able to see past the solid wood ceiling. The footsteps went toward the stairs, quickly descending and Electra found herself backed against one of the walls.

The High King stood at the base of the stairs, his face emotionless, watching Electra. She wondered if they had not been able to obtain the items. If the items were gone, then she was as good as dead.

"I hope you were successful, your Majesty," Electra broke the silence, no longer able to meet his eyes.

"Both Edmund's sword and Susan's horn have been obtained, and the market shut down" he commented, watching her with calculating eyes. She could hear mild disbelief and a bit of confusion etched in his voice. Electra was unable to hold the silence that followed.

"Is something wrong, your Majesty?"

"Most pirates set up traps," he commented. "They don't simply give up what they've stolen so easily. But you, you told the truth. And something about it wasn't from simple cowardice of being killed."

He took a step closer; Electra pressed herself farther back into the wall. "I wished to make amends for my wrongdoing," she said, still watching the ground.

"You didn't want anything to do with the heist in the first place," he commented. "But you went through with it. And now you betray all that you knew before simply to make amends?"

"If I am a pirate whom should not be trusted, then why did you do so?" she asked.

"I didn't have a choice at the time," he finally admitted. "Yet your actions clearly tell me now that you are one who may be trusted, despite your past. I could have been easily taken in those streets by an awaiting ambush, yet no one was gathered to take me." He watched her for a moment before asking, "Where are the other two?"

"Your majesty's sword resides in Calormen," she repeated. "And Queen Lucy's cordial stays with one of the _Nomad's _crew."

"You," he said immediately.

She looked up at him, eyes wide. He knew? He knew she had the cordial all this time? But then why didn't he take it from her?

"You never wanted to steal these items," he commented. "And you know more about this operation than most would. You never had any intention of selling the cordial."

"Your Majesty," she started, but couldn't find the words to continue.

The High King didn't wait for a response. He simply turned and walked up the stairs, leaving Electra alone beneath the deck. She stood there in silence and utter amazement. Slowly she pulled out the cordial from its safekeeping place where no one else would have been able to find it, and looked down on it. Her fingers traced the intricate design on the front. Swallowing she moved back up the stairs and to the dock.

The High King was leaning against the railing, watching as the ship slowly pulled out. The sun was setting over the horizon, paining the sky in bright oranges and pinks. Electra walked over to the king and held out the cordial. He took it from her without a word.

"I offer my sincerest apologies, your Majesty," she whispered, feeling utterly ashamed.

He didn't say anything at first. Instead he watched the sky and its bright colors. After a few moments he turned to Electra. "For your services, you will be granted full pardon for all your actions up until this point. I suggest you do nothing further that will make me regret punishing you." Without another word he walked away back into his cabin.

Electra watched him go, feeling he was letting her off much too easily. Yet at the same time, she seemed thankful he was giving her a second chance. Electra took his spot, looking out at the sea as though for the first time. When this was over, she resolved, she promised herself she would be different. She was no longer doing what she was doing because it was benificial to herself. She would do them because they were right and to make up for the wrong she had committed.

No more would she travel among the worlds, like a thief doing all she could for gold or treasures. She would make her own way, rightfully instead of a pirate. It would be hard, but she could do what she could. Not for the sake of the High King alone, but for all of the Kings and Queens, mostly King Edmund.

Her mind thought to him once more, wondering how different their meetings might have been had she seen him now rather than a few nights ago. Perhaps her services might have changed the way he would see her the same way the High King had. Perhaps she could be worthy enough for him to actually look at, though little more than that.

For a fleeting second, she imagined what it would have been like if she hadn't been a pirate at all, but someone worth his time and attention. She smiled at the thought as she forced it from her mind. There was no reason to dwell on things that were never to be.

Electra sighed, watching the sun graze the western sky as the ship headed southward away from the banks. She no longer cared if anyone from the Narrowhaven dock had seen her on the flagship of Narnia. She surprisingly found herself more happy helping the Kings and Queens of Narnia rather than pirating. It was a new and different way of living. And for all she cared, she would be happy serving them for the rest of her life if it meant her freedom from what chains her past held her to.


	16. Bribery

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Bribery

The rest of the journey was less than uneventful. Electra felt as though she were no longer a prisoner aboard the ship, but more like a closely watched guest who could journey nowhere without an escort. She was starting to feel enclosed and suffocated once again.

It could have been a longer journey, but Electra felt somewhat alone this particular time between the Lone Islands and Calormen. She stayed below deck during the night, tossing and turning so much she was surprised she was even able to fall asleep. She remained on the deck during the daylight, watching the sea, lost in her own thoughts. There was always someone nearby to watch her, but no one there to actually keep her company.

Electra was on the deck when Calormen first came into view. It's shoreline was, as usual crowded by people near the mouth of the river that led to Tashbaan, and inevitably their destination.

"Have you decided what you're going to do when this is over?" a voice asked behind her, making her jump slightly.

She turned to see the High King standing with his hands folded behind his back, eyes on the shoreline as well. He moved next to her, his hair and crown somewhat glowing in the yellow sunlight.

"I'll be running," she replied, turning back to the shore. The soft breeze whipped around them, and Electra could smell Tashbaan in the distance in contrast to the usual salty air.

"Running?"

"Well," Electra sighed, "the pirates I'm helping can't really be thrilled that I just sold them out, can they?"

"I suppose not," the High King replied lightly. She could hear the soft and gentle smile in his voice.

"I can't go back to Archenland," she added. "Not after this get out. They'll never let a former pirate in court. The Lone Islands, I'm as good as dead. Calormen, well, they're about as pirate as you can get. And I can't really go to Telmar for personal reasons."

There was a pause that followed in which she took the time to think of Alec, Veil and their unborn child. She prayed that they remained safe and hidden in Telmar, and hoped they got the gold she had sent them. Electra was glad he did not press the matter of Telmar, as she did not wish to discuss it. She was, however, very shocked by his next statement.

"You could always return to Narnia," he said slowly.

Electra turned to face the High King. "I?" she asked with a soft laugh. "Return to Narnia when this is over. I'm sure none there will be happy to see my face."

"Oh," he smiled offhand, "I can think of one who might be happy to see your face there." He then added to her questioning look, "And besides, there you are under my rule. It is my responsibility to protect those from any who wish Narnians harm."

Electra couldn't help but laugh slightly. "You can't even look after your sword, how do you expect to protect me?" There was an awkward pause before she added shamefully, "My apologies, your Majesty."

"Do you really think we'd make the same mistake twice?" he asked with a slightly harder edge to his voice and a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not," Electra replied. "It's just, you don't know the _Nomad_ crew. They stop at nothing, and I mean nothing, to get even with those who do them harm in any way. I'm not simply in danger staying in Narnia. I'm endangering you're whole family."

The blue eyes of the High King watched her closely, sizing up her words.

"I've never met such a selfless pirate in all my days," he said quietly, almost to himself. "Or at least one who calls herself a pirate."

"Wouldn't calling oneself a pirate be enough to be one?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "You don't know what I've done. You don't know what you've pardoned. I've stolen, I've seduced, I've pillaged, plundered, threatened, blackmailed. I've killed. And still you say I'm fit to deserve another word."

"You have something no pirate has," he replied, "the ability to feel remorse. Pirates do those things without caring about their actions. You second guess yourself and wish for more than a life where you do what you can for yourself and think of others. That makes you better than the rest. That's what redeems you of being a true pirate. Not a pardon I give you."

Electra paused. "I take it it's not you who will be happy to see me stay at Narnia," she asked sarcastically.

The High King laughed at this. "No, you're a thorn in my side," he joked, turning back to the shoreline which had grown surprisingly closer since Electra had last looked upon it.

Electra brooded in her own thoughts for a moment, thinking back to when all this chaos had begun: the night of the masquerade ball, the night she had met King Edmund. She remembered the first time she had seen King Edmund in a dream. The other three had been there as well, as had…

"Your Majesty?" she asked, her mind still lost in thought of the night she had first dreamed.

"Yes?" he asked, pulling his eyes away from the steadily approaching shore.

"What's Aslan like?"

Of all the questions she could have asked him, this was the least expected. He turned so he faced her fully, his eyes inquiring why she would ask such a question. She didn't reply, not giving reason as to why she asked. The look she gave him simply pleaded for the answer.

"He's magnificent," High King Peter stated factually. "He's brave, honest, true, good. He's so much and yet so much more. There isn't anything that can describe who or what he is. But he isn't tame." The last words brought a smile to his lips. "That's for sure." With a small laugh to himself, he turned and headed back up the deck to give the captain a few last minute orders before closing in on the dock.

Electra stayed behind, unsure of what he meant exactly by his words. Just by seeing him in her dream, she could determine this, yet at the same time the overwhelming feeling his presence had given her was too much for words. She couldn't describe it, but she had to admit, of everything the High King said, the one that stuck in her mind most was the last: he wasn't tame.

The ship soon docked, and there was a mass crowd gathered at the shore to welcome them. Many, Electra remembered from her numerous trips here. A few spotted her on the deck, surprised to see her there, though quickly slipped out of the crowd and into the alleyway as though she were here to point them out and throw them in prison.

She scanned the rest of the crowd to see if she could find members of the Nomad. No doubt they would be searching for her quite soon, if not already. She saw no one, however.

A few ambassadors came up to the High King as he stepped onto the dock, wondering if he ventured a visit with the Tisroc. Electra couldn't help but roll her eyes as they continued addressing him as though he were a god and could live forever.

The High King thanked them for their offer but was unfortunate to say he had arrived with other business to attend to. Perhaps on his way back he could do the Tisroc the honor of a visit.

Electra led the way through the streets, the High King by her side and the guard behind them. Exposing herself, she knew was dangerous. But she also knew no one would dare try to attack any of them while the High King was present. It would cause a diplomatic uprising, the last thing anyone wanted.

Finally they arrived at the house Electra remembered all too vividly, having had the argument with Tarkaan Salec before all this chaos came to play in her life.

The servant opened the door wide for them, and the High King and Electra stepped inside, followed by two guards. Electra looked around the place; it was full of items he had undoubtedly bought at the black market, though not ones she recognized. She guessed many of these were the items Damin had said he had bargained the Tarkaan for.

"Tarkaan Salec will be here presently," another slave bowed before leaving the room. When he left, the High King looked at Electra.

"You sold the sword here?" he asked.

"No," she replied. "But I was with my 'brother' when he did."

She could tell the High King didn't like the Calormen way of life. By the way he looked at the slaves, he greatly detested all of them, not for their difference in class, but the fact that they were bound and chained to this one place so easily. She too felt sorry for them; it wasn't a pleasant way of life.

Tarkaan Salec then entered. As was the custom, Electra curtsied politely to him and she could see the High King bow out of respect as well. Tarkaan Salec followed suit.

"Your Majesty," he said with a grin, pretending not to notice Electra there at all. "I welcome you to my home. To what honor do I owe this visit?"

"I believe you have something that belongs to me," the High King replied, not bothering to go with formalities but simply to skip strait to the point.

The Tarkaan's face fell slightly and his eyes darted in Electra's direction. "I take it this wench of a pirate told you this?"

"You would do well not to disrespect those under my rule," the High King threatened. "I have only come here for the sword, not to create diplomatic problems."

Electra, however, had zoned out of the conversation for a moment. She never expected the High King to defend her like that. It left her slightly dazed and it took her a moment to reenter the conversation. She was sure she missed a few comments, as they had turned more harsh and personal.

"I paid for the sword," Tarkaan Salec spat. "It is mine. And unless you have a hefty amount of gold or something you'd rather trade in return that would be useful, I'm afraid your Majesty can't have it back."

The High King looked fumed. He opened his mouth to continue the argument, but Electra quickly cut him off.

"How about a slave?" she asked, raising her eyebrow and upping her pirate-bargain demeanor. Both men turned to face her.

"We are not willing to trade anyone for a sword," the High King said sharply to her.

"We have one," she replied, her eyes never pulling away from the Tarkaan. "Me.

There was a familiar silence that filled the room. Every eye now had fallen on her and was not soon to be pulled away. Electra felt her pulse slowly rising and she did what she could to control her breathing. She really hoped he would take the offer. If he didn't, she didn't know how else they could take the sword, but by force. And that would cause a war with Archenland stuck in the middle.

"You?" he laughed, though Electra could see behind his eyes he was deeply considering it. She prodded him on.

"Why not?" she asked. "It may not be a relic you can look at but I'm certain the value difference would certainly save you some gold. Besides, how often do you find someone willing to work as your slave rather than buying someone and having to whip them to do their chores hourly?"

All while she talked she prayed this one last thing she could do for the King's family would be enough. Enough to make amends, enough to make up for everything she had done.

"Electra," the High King said warningly, but she interrupted him. She knew normally it would have been exceedingly rude and uncalled for, but she couldn't let him ruin this.

"How do I know I can trust you won't run off?" he asked.

"If you like, you can chain me until you find me trustworthy," she replied watching him. His eyes told her the deal was sealed, he had made his decision.

"I'll return shortly," he said, turning his back on them.

"You can't do this," the High King said as the man walked into the back to get Rhindon. "I don't believe in slavery, and neither does Narnia. I won't have you chained, we'll find another way around this."

"You didn't place me in slavery," Electra said back, her eyes never leaving the High King's. "I did so myself. Besides, I'm in your debt for pardoning me for the treason I've committed against you and your family."

The mentioning of his family forced her to think of the dark haired king once again. Would she ever see him again? The memory of him was beginning to grow dim, and she wanted to remember him as best as she could, especially if she was going to be away from everything else for quite a while.

"You're life isn't worth a sword," he hissed. "I know why you're doing this. You think by doing so you might be worthy to see light in my brother's eyes. Well, I'm telling you now, he already sees you highly. He carries that pendant around nonstop. You've bewitched him in a way no one else has. And for making him feel something I never thought he'd be able to feel, especially after the dealings with the White Witch, is beyond my thanking. And this is not something I'm going let you do."

This confession was a sudden blow to Electra. How many nights had she lain in bed, restless, dreaming about the mysterious King? How hard had she wished that in some alternate universe that he might have the inkling of what she felt for him? How many nights had she wasted in utter darkness until he stepped into her life and her dreams?

"He couldn't," she breathed, speaking mostly to herself. "I'm worthless, a pirate. He wouldn't forgive me for using him as I did, especially being the second who's done so."

"He does and he would forgive you eventually if he knew the whole truth as I do," he replied sternly. "And I'm not about to let you throw yourself away at something that already exists." He took a breath, "Pirate you may have been, but the past few days have proven me wrong about you entirely. You're willing to change to do the right thing, not for yourself but for others. For my brother. I know how you feel about him, I've seen the way your eyes look and voice drifts when you speak about him. I know how he will act when he finds out about this. I'm not asking you to do this for me, I'm asking you to do this for him. A sword is nothing compared to a life that means so much to Edmund."

Electra watched the High King closely. She could see in his eyes he was true to his words. He was doing this so King Edmund wouldn't suffer when he found out. If he found out.

"You said you trusted me before," she stated flatly.

"And I do—"

"Then trust me now," she urged. "I know what I am doing."

The High King shook his head. "What am I to tell him when I return home? The woman he's sought out for the past two months simply gave herself up for a sword?"

"Tell him nothing," she replied earnestly. "And it's not simply a sword. It's your sword, your Majesty. The sword you held when you fought at the battle of Beruna against the White Witch and won. It's the sword of the High King over all Kings of Narnia. If you tell him anything, tell him the truth. That I deserved nothing less for this." She showed him the burn once that condemned her for eternity. "Just trust me."

She allowed her eyes to bore deep into his own, trying to convey the message from her eyes to his: she knew what she was doing.

The High King watched her for a minute before backing off a step. "If you ever happen to return to Narnia," he said, his voice seemed to hint at remorse or regret, "you shall be an esteemed guest."

Electra nodded, but her attention was pulled away at the sound of approaching footsteps. She turned to see her new master, holding King Peter's sword carefully in his hands before handing it to the High King himself. The High King pulled out the blade and checked it before placing it back in the hilt.

"Narnia shall honor you for your services," the High King told Electra, giving her a small nod of thanks.

Electra returned the nod before turning back to Tarkaan Salec. He took her by the upper arm harshly.

"Good day, your Majesty," Tarkaan Salec said, nodding toward the door before pulling Electra toward the back of the house. Electra gave the High King and his guards one last glance before turning away a final time.

Electra allowed herself to be lead to the back of the house, where many of the other slaves watched her closely. A few of the men whom she had remembered from before looked pleased to have her join their ranks, though not the sort of pleased Electra liked to see in another's eye. Many of the women looked beaten, though what bruises and scars might have been there were covered with heavily added makeup.

She was led to her room, there were two double beds, and many other possessions already scattered across the room. She was to be staying with three other women it seemed.

Electra took a deep breath, embracing what she could of this place. She did what she could to seem fit with her decision for as long as needed until it was the right time to leave.

* * *

**A/N: This was one of my fav. chapters so far. Sadly the story is already half over! :( The next chapter is entitled 'Through the Eyes of King Edmund,' and it will be told from King Edmund's perspective. Yay! So be prepared for that. **

**Thanks to all of you who are reviewing, I really appreciate the comments!**


	17. Through the Eyes of King Edmund

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Through the Eyes of King Edmund

Two months had passed since his life had been completely turned upside down. Two months since the masquerade where he and his siblings had their treasures stolen from them. Two months of chaos, his family sailing and traveling every which way around the worlds. Two months of agonizing questions mocking him about who that maiden was he'd seen at the ball.

The last time he'd been this mystified with someone of the opposite sex this much it turned out rather badly, almost ending in his death and the death of his siblings. He'd definitely learned his lesson, not to mention been very careful about whom he accepted sweets from for the past four years.

Yet the dark haired maiden he had met and danced with at the ball couldn't seem to find her way out of his mind. Not that he minded thinking about her, but when Susan would get on his case about dawdling around rather than doing something important it somewhat annoyed him. He scoffed. Everyone called her Susan the Gentle. But when what they didn't know was that when she was angered, she turned into Susan the Raging Dragon. He laughed to himself at his family joke.

Lately he'd been littered with things to do, searching for pirates who were, coincidentally, nowhere to be found. Searching for their gifts and his sword, also which were nowhere to be found. He had taken it upon himself also to find out who the maiden was. He made up his own reasons that he was simply curious, but as each day that passed he turned up empty handed, he became more determined in his quest.

He had little to go on, a simple gold necklace on a chain with a pendant that had a few gibberish letters inscribed on them. That was, until Peter deciphered what they were from an old history book in the library. Now he had one more thing to go on: a possible name. Yet anywhere he went the name turned up nothing.

There had been one thing he hadn't counted on before that gave him one last clue. The crimson dress she wore that night was in the style of one from the Lone Islands, and he was even able to get a name of the specific maker. But when he ventured there, he once again turned up with next to nothing. The storekeeper didn't remember any dark haired mysterious maiden venturing near her shop.

And once again he had hit a dead end. Lucy and Susan told him they'd seen nothing in their journey to Archenland, and likewise in his trip to the Lone Islands, when his brother sent word for him to return, he still was empty handed, both from the mysterious stranger and their gifts. It seemed as though nothing would ever get resolved from the rate everything was going at this point.

That was until he arrived back in Cair Paravel. His brother was passing him to board a ship headed for the Lone Islands to take his place there. That's when a dark haired maiden had passed for a moment in the shadows toward the ship Peter was to board. He'd been caught off guard, watching her for a moment before his brother telling him to return to the castle was brought to his ears. He had turned his back on her, though was determined to speak with her upon her return.

Until that point came, however, Susan had resigned Edmund to catching up with the records in the library study. Needless to say they had been neglected for a while. Susan, at the time, was busy with King Lune negotiating the Christmas party (a specialty of hers) and when Lucy returned from the Beavers, she made it her job to entertain Corin. This left Edmund with the pleasant task of organizing the library.

He set down his quill, stretching back in his chair before rubbing his eyes, which had begun to hurt from staring at the parchment and black quill for the past hour strait. Immediately, as though by clockwork, the image of the mysterious maiden popped into his mind. He remembered every detail: her dark curls, her moss grey eyes, her delicate hands as they danced. He had found it hard to believe that was her first time dancing, as she was master at footwork and grace.

"Who are you?" he heard himself mutter wearily.

He knew he had not imagined her, for Lucy and Susan had seen her there as well. But he found it hard to grasp the concept that someone could simply disappear like that.

His concentration was cut when horns blared in the distance: the arrival of the flagship of Narnia. His brother had returned. Without blinking, Edmund pushed back from his seat and left the library, moving through the castle toward the dock to greet his brother and put an end to the mystery that had been tormenting him so much.

His sisters had already arrived at the dock while the ship slowly pulled in. He stood patiently behind them, waiting for his brother to come forward before addressing him. Peter had barely cleared the boarding plank before Lucy ran over to him and nearly knocked him over in a hug.

"Peter! It's so good to see you," she said joyfully. Edmund kept his eyes from rolling. It hadn't been that long since they'd seen each other. Then again, he reminded himself, with everything that had been going on, he too was glad to see his brother's safe return.

"How was your trip?" Susan inquired. Edmund paid attention to their conversations, but his eyes kept flittering toward the rest of the crew. One whom he had seen board was not with them.

"Pleasantly productive," Peter said with a smile, pulling Edmund's attention back to him. For the first time, Edmund noticed that there was a sword strapped to his belt as well as one to his back. He'd been so used to seeing Peter with Rhindon before, he hadn't noticed it had been there.

"You found them!" Lucy exclaimed, taking the cordial Peter held out to her as Susan took her horn. "How ever did you manage?"

"With the help of a friend," Peter replied, his eyes flickering over to Edmund for half a moment before going back to Lucy. Edmund felt his stomach drop slightly. He knew that look all too well; it was one that read 'we need to talk.'

He didn't have to wait long for their moment of solitude, however. Susan and Lucy were soon heading back up to the castle, chatting away about the upcoming Christmas celebration when winter would arrive. Edmund hung back, taking his sword from his brother when it was handed to him.

"And where could I thank this friend?" Edmund asked bitterly, glancing over the crew once more, though it was in vain. "Surely she deserves thanks."

"So you knew she boarded?" Peter asked, not all that surprised.

"I'm not that unobservant," Edmund joked, turning to head back to the castle, Peter at his side.

"Sometimes I wonder," his brother laughed, earning an elbow in the side for it. "Ow. What gave you the right to do that?"

"I'm your brother," Edmund retorted with a grin. "I've always had the right."

The two brothers laughed as they headed up to the castle, enjoying the walk as exercise rather than riding horses. It was a nice day, and these were limited with the approaching fall winds and bitter winter. These days were ones to be appreciated.

"I want you to listen to everything I have to say before you make any sort of judgement," Peter finally broke the silence, making Edmund look up at him. He wasn't sure what to make of the mixed emotional look his brother had. "It's very important that you listen to everything."

"Alright…" Edmund agreed slowly, not sure what else to say. "What is it?"

"The maiden you saw boarding the ship," Peter began slowly, the one you noticed, "she did help us get our items back."

"I thought we already clarified this," Edmund interrupted.

"You said you would listen to everything," Peter said shortly. Edmund closed his mouth and nodded, allowing his brother to continue.

"She was a pirate," he continued after a moment. "She was one of those who helped steal them in the first place. That's how I was able to get everything back so quickly. She even told us where the black market was. It's been shut down and put on heavy guard. My sword though, was in Calormen. That wasn't as easy getting back."

Edmund had a sinking feeling. Wherever his brother was going with this, it wasn't anywhere good.

"She gave up freedom to give me back my sword, Edmund," he said. "If she were ever to return to Narnia, I would imagine she would deserve our forgiveness and hospitality."

"Why are you telling me this?" Edmund asked, not liking the tone of his brother's voice at all.

"Her name," Peter continued, as though Edmund had said nothing "was Electra."

Edmund's eyes grew wide. He felt his head shaking in disbelief as he took a step away from his brother. "No."

"She knows what she had done was wrong," Peter encouraged, trying to calm Edmund down. "She was doing what she could to make up for it."

"No!" Edmund shouted. "No! It's not fair! She tricked me! Why is it always me!"

"Edmund!"

Edmund was already sprinting back up to the castle. His mind was boiled in a rage he hadn't felt in years. How could this have happened again! And to him! Why was it always him the evil ones picked on? Did he have a sign on him that said, 'I'm gullible, go ahead and use me'?

He didn't stop until he reached his room, slamming the door behind him. He buried his face into his pillow and let out a scream of frustration. Why?

Barely a second had passed when he was already halfway across the room, digging through his chest until he found a small box. Inside was the delicate gold chain she had given him with her name. He took it from the box and strode over to the window. Ripping it open, a gust of salty sea air whipped into his face. He took no time throwing the necklace out into the open air, never to be found again.

There was a knock on his door but he was silent to it, his face pushed against his pillow once moer. He didn't want it to be one of his sisters; they would have nagged at him to tell him what his problem was. He didn't want to see Peter either. He just wanted to be left alone to hate Electra.

He cursed her dark curls, her enchanting moss-grey eyes, her misleading air. He cursed her being and for even attempting to befriend and trust her.

The door opened despite Edmund not answering it. "Edmund?" Peter asked. Edmund felt the weight of his bed shift as Peter sat down.

"She deserves to be a slave," Edmund growled, both meaning and hating what he said. He couldn't decipher the split emotion.

"You didn't hear me fully out," Peter continued.

"What if I don't want to?" Edmund was now shouting, fully upright, his face contorted with rage. "She used me! She's just like that witch Jadis!"

"It could have been worse," Peter continued.

"Oh really?" Edmund was skeptically rolling his eyes.

"The pirate's original plan was to kidnap us," Peter continued, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"And who told you that?" Edmund asked, pulling away. "Her? She's a bloody pirate! How can you trust her?" His face was back in his pillow once more.

"She gave up everything, risked everything to make things right again," Peter continued. "I think she deserves sympathy."

"You're blinded by her trying to be a martyr," Edmund mumbled into his pillow.

"I took the time to assess the situation," his brother replied. "You have the right to make your own decision. But in time, I hope you will come to forgive her."

The bed moved once again as Peter stood up and left the room, careful to shut the door behind him. Edmund was thankful, for hot tears had begun to spring to his eyes, dampening his pillow. He cursed his tears for falling and the reason they fell.

Already, Edmund had begun to feel some sympathy toward Electra, toward everything she had done. Yet another part of him struggled to keep his hatred toward her. He wanted to hate her, needed to hate her, but at the same time he couldn't. It was as though two sides of what happened during his first time in Narnia were placed into the girl.

The first was Jadis: wicked and evil. Manipulating for self gain and using those in her power to get what she wanted. That part of her was the pirate and he wanted to curse her to eternity.

The second was himself: a stupid soul wandering aimlessly through the world until realizing everything that they'd done was wrong, and were willing to give up anything and everything to make up for it.

He was torn at these two sides wanting to loathe her and yet unable to control his desire to forgive. Instead, he punched his pillow, taking his mind off the torment he was feeling and wishing for one fleeting second things could go back to when things were simpler and made sense.

"A message for you, your Majesty."

The four of them were sitting eating a peaceful lunch when a sparrow flew in and sat down on one of the tops of the empty chairs and bowed to the four. All four stopped eating, save for Edmund who had been in a foul mood as of the past week and a half, did nothing but sulk and ignore others.

"Yes, Sparrow?" Peter said, placing his fork down and giving the messenger bird his full attention.

"Word has it that one of the ambassadors, a Tarkaan Salec is journeying to Narnia as we speak. He seems quite upset about something."

"Really?" Peter asked, glancing at his siblings. "Was there any indication why?" Edmund continued picking at his food, but listened to the message a little harder.

"Something about a runaway slave heading to Narnia," the Sparrow replied. "He seems to want her back and he wants to make his intentions known to your Majesty.

At these words, Edmund looked up at the Sparrow, his attention for the first time fully away from food. "She's headed here?" he asked.

"It appears so," the Sparrow replied.

"Thank you," Peter said, standing up. The Sparrow bowed one final time before flying off.

"What are you going to do about it?" Lucy asked, a bit worried. No doubt since Edmund had refused to speak with anyone since his sudden tantrum, Peter had explained everything to her and probably Susan for that matter.

"If she makes it into Narnia," Peter replied, moving down the table, Lucy standing up to walk with him, "we'll apprehend her. Slavery is forbidden here, and if we get to her before the Tarkaan does, she'll be in our custody."

Edmund felt eyes glance at him, but ignored them. He was too lost in his own thoughts at the moment.

"But he'll demand her return," Susan replied. "We can't just give her up."

"Hence why we're sending out a search party," he replied. "If we get a hold of her, we won't be able to give her away due to slavery laws."

Edmund glanced at Peter, whose eyes had flickered to his for a moment before turning to Lucy. Lucy jumped with joy, hugging her brother for his cleverness before running off, no doubt to inform Mr. Tumnus about the ordeal. Peter followed her out, and Edmund had a suspicion he was going to gather a search party.

"Edmund?"

Edmund glanced at his elder sister, who was watching him concernedly. He didn't say anything; he merely stood up from the table and followed suit of his eldest and younger sibling before heading to his room.

Electra had done his family a great service, giving up what she had, all she had, to help bring order to Narnia and give them back their stolen items. Yet, he couldn't help but remember she had been one of those who helped steal them. Who manipulated him. He growled in disgust, opening the door to his bedroom, closing it behind him and flopping down on the bed.

No matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't get her out of his head. She didn't deserve his thoughts, she had used him, just like the White Witch. Though Peter and Lucy agreed she should be given a second chance, Edmund wanted to side with Susan, believing she couldn't be trusted. He couldn't bring himself to forgive her, yet he couldn't bring himself to fully be angry with her either. Had he once not betrayed his family yet been given a second chance? He was supposed to be Edmund the Just, yet when it came to Electra he didn't know what to think. He decided to wait until he spoke with her in person, when the guards brought her to Cair Paravel to make that final jurisdiction. If that time ever came.


	18. The Prisoner

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

The Prisoner

Electra had spent hardly a week at Tarkaan Salec's house before she decided it was beyond time to leave. It was clear he only had the female slaves there for one reason, and she wasn't going to be any part of it. She stole away into the town on her final evening upon a ship bound to Archenland, and was lucky enough it wasn't raided by pirates on its trip northward.

Once she arrived in the port of Archenland, Electra stole a horse and rode northwest toward the border between Archenland, Telmar, and Narnia. She figured the farther north and west toward the wilderness she was, the safer she would be. Apparently there were many watching for her every which way, and as soon as she crossed into the realm of Narnia she was taken captive.

The looming castle of Cair Paravel overhead couldn't have been more uninviting as she was escorted through the front doors for the third time. This time, however, she was being escorted by the Narnian guard consisting of a centaur, two fauns and a cheetah. Electra cursed herself for trusting the High King. She should have known that he would go back on his word she would be pardoned.

Electra was led into the throne room; it was as plain as the last time she had seen it. There were no signs of the Archenlander visiters still here in Narnia. Apparently they had left earlier than planned, or more time had passed than Electra remembered.

"Electra of the Lone Islands," a familiar voice rang out, echoing slightly against the marble walls and columns.

Electra turned to face her addresser, who happened to be the High King himself, sitting on his throne, his two sisters to his left and his brother to his right. Electra's eyes lingered on the young king probably longer than they should have. He was just as she remembered: his dark eyes and hair, his silver crown sitting atop his head, with a regal composure. He wasn't looking back at her, though; he seemed to be looking at one of the guards standing next to her. Her heart sank slightly.

A small nudge in the back cued her to reply to the High King.

"Yes, your Majesty," she answered, curtsying as low as she could without losing her balance. It was hard to curtsy in shackles after all.

"You are hereby called to this court with the charge of disobeying a direct order of the High King of Narnia."

Electra blinked. This had to be some sort of joke, she told herself. Yet no one around was laughing, or even cracking a smile. She glanced around, unsure of what to answer.

"And… that would be what, your Majesty?" she asked, completely confused yet simultaneously trying to keep a polite demeanor.

"I told you not to sell yourself for a sword," the High King replied, a small smile finally curling onto his lips.

Electra let out a sigh and rolled her eyes. _You've got to be kidding me,_ she thought to herself. _Of all the things he could have arrested her for; it was for getting his bloody sword back. This was bloody ridiculous. Perhaps it would have been better had she simply let him go on without it or lose an unnecessary amount of gold in its place_.

"Well, I do apologize for that, your Majesty," she said, curtsying again.

"Word says you've run from Calormen," Queen Susan's gentle voice rang out. Electra glanced over at the elder queen in a bit of confusion. Her eyes shifted back to the High King; something was stirring in the depths of his mind, though she couldn't quite figure out what it was just yet.

"Yes, your Majesty," she replied. They weren't planning on sending her back, were they?

"The Calormen ambassador won't be laying a hand on a prisoner of Narnia, even if that is why he is coming," the High King replied, his eyes flickering instantaneously to Electra before going back to his sister. "While she is in Narnia, she is under our custody."

Electra watched the High King, realizing that he was up to something. Perhaps it wasn't her being a pirate he had imprisoned her for after all. Perhaps something else? She couldn't help but allow her lips to crack into the faintest of smiles. She'd thought wrong about the High King. He was up to something.

"Take her to the lower guest quarters, and make sure she has a guard at the door at all times," the High King then ordered to his guard. "I won't have her escaping while we talk over her sentence. For now, she's under house arrest." The guards all bowed to her, Electra following suit, before she was taken away.

Electra wasn't sure what to expect of the lower guest quarters, but either way she was surprised. It was like she was staying at an inn, and a rather nice one at that. There was a single bed stretching out into the center of the room against the side wall. A desk sat in the corner while a small reading chair was pushed into the opposite corner. There was a window on the far wall, and it was rather large. Had Electra wanted, she probably could have escaped through the window.

Electra went into the room to get a closer look at everything. There was a soft click and she turned to see the guards had closed the door behind her, leaving her by herself in the room. Now alone, she went back to examining the room.

The desk and bed were made of a type of wood she knew could only be found in Archenland. She ran her hand over the polished grain, admiring the handy work. She of all people wouldn't have expected to be put into a guest room, especially if she was in trouble with the High King. Then again, he had said she was simply under house arrest for the time being.

A small bird singing outside caught her attention, and she was pulled once again toward the window. Peering past the heavy curtains that before obstructed her sight, she saw what most would guess was a breathtaking view of the land below.

Vast ocean spread as far as the eye could see. Just out of the side she could barely make out the waves rustling in the shore. Strait below about four stories down she saw a small courtyard, multiple flowers of numerous shades abloom. In the center was a clear sky blue pond that if she squinted hard enough, Electra was sure she could barely make out the fish that swam below.

Second thoughts about escaping through the window, Electra thought to herself, looking around. There were no ledges to speak of, and no way to get up through the window or climb down for that matter without jumping the four neck-breaking stories. Only one of flight would have been able to find its way up here.

The sight of the ocean and the sound of the breeze as it helped moved the waves made her smile., though it was more one of longing than any other feeling. The sea was taunting her to come back, though now it was a death trap. If she left, the pirates would surely find her, and once again, they wouldn't be the only ones looking for her.

Though the confines of the castle were suffocating, what she had here would have had to make due. And for some unknown reason she couldn't put her finger on, Electra felt more content with seeing the ocean from here than being on it when it wasn't safe. That surely wasn't something she would have felt before.

"Make yourself at home."

Electra whipped around, completely caught off guard by the sudden male voice speaking to her. Her breath and heartbeat stopped momentarily though started up once again once the surprise had stopped. When she realized who had been speaking to her though, her heart rate accelerated once more, pounding so loudly she was sure he would have heard it. She should have recognized the voice immediatly, but he had surprised her so that she didn't realize it at first.

"Your Majesty," she curtsied low before looking back up at the dark haired king.

He was dressed in dark green that was trimmed with silver to match his crown. His boots, buttoned up at the sides with silver fastenings. The colors suited him well. She wondered if he dressed this well on a daily basis. She had to keep herself from blushing; he looked very regal in his attire.

He couldn't have changed this much in the past time she hadn't seen him, yet now finally being up close to him once again he seemed so different than she remembered, better in fact. She blamed her memory for not being true to her. Simply by being in front of him, though several feet away, he still took her breath away.

The only thing that had changed was the air about him. He was standing unnaturally strait, his face firm and composed. His eyes were blazing with an emotion she couldn't name, though she knew pretty well what it felt like. The emotion lay somewhere between those of utter disappointment and loathing. She wasn't surprised he was looking at her in such a way, even though it did make her heart sink.

"Could I help you with something?" Electra finally broke the silence, feeling a little more uncomfortable for doing so though not able to stand the lack of conversation. He had not moved since she turned to him, and he seemed quite content with remaining that way for however long he chose to do so.

"As a matter of fact," King Edmund replied, his voice harsh and cold. Electra swallowed; she had a bad feeling about this. "Do you mind telling me why you chose to give up your freedom for a sword?"

Electra blinked. Of all the questions he had asked, this was probably the most random of all. The way he was speaking to her was in an emotionless tone, but he may as well have screamed at her. She knew this probably wouldn't end well.

"I had done wrong," Electra replied. "I wished to make up for it, your Majesty."

"How so?" he asked, a bit of bitterness leaking into his voice.

Electra's heart sank a bit more. This definitely wouldn't end well. "I-"

"Did you think simply by giving up your freedom you would be seen lightly and easily forgiven?" he asked each word growing in tension. Electra took a step back as he took an advanced step forward. "Did you think by simply giving everything up and then running away you would be cleansed of the wrong you've done?"

"I never asked for your forgiveness," Electra replied quietly. "I didn't expect it-"

"Or so you say," he retorted.

Electra felt as though she'd been slapped full across the face. Her eyes began to spring with hot tears that she forced herself to hold back. He wasn't even giving her a chance to speak, not that she deserved it. Though she hoped she would have gotten a little more.

"I apologize if it seemed like I mislead you, your Majesty," she said quietly, hanging her head so he wouldn't see her tears and think she was playing on this as well. "I swear that wasn't my intention."

"What was your intention then?" King Edmund asked darkly.

"I…" her voice trailed off. Honestly she didn't know anymore, but that wouldn't have been a good enough answer for him. No answer would.

"I want to make something very clear with you, Electra," he growled maliciously. "I want nothing to do with you. I've met your kind before, and I know what trust in your eyes is. It's trust that your plan will be profitable and you'll benefit from it, not trust that you can earn from someone else. And that is your downfall."

Electra flinched slightly at these words, though they too were expected. She couldn't even bring herself to nod in understanding, so he went on.

"You may have gained my brother and younger sister's trust, but you've far from gained mine," he told her. "He's keeping you here for your safety and protection. And if you even have a thought of betrayal toward that trust, I swear by the name of Aslan himself, I'll undo you myself. I practically gave my life for them and I won't have someone else using their tricks to ruin my family." Without another word he turned and stormed from her room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Electra simply stood there, his words echoing through her head. He never wanted anything to do with it her, not even if he after he had learned all she had done, all she was risking. But it didn't stop her from feeling the same about him as she had since she had first seen him. She respected him feeling that she couldn't be trusted, and from his point of view she knew she couldn't be.

Taking a deep yet shuddering breath she went and sat down on the bed, trying to steady herself from what had just happened. Her mind went back to what King Edmund had said about King Peter was keeping her here for her safety.

Then it clicked what they were talking about in the throne room. Tarkaan Salec, or one of his men was coming up here to reclaim Electra. If she was in Narnia, however, they wouldn't be able give her up due to the slavery laws.

This made her smile slightly a tear bumping into it before rolling down the rest of her cheek. Before she doubted King Edmund when he spoke of his brother's trust to her and his promise she would be cleared of charges as a pirate. Now she knew she was wrong about the High King of Narnia. He was very much someone she could trust and depend on.

Sighing, she laid back on the bed. It was quite comfortable, and she could feel herself quickly falling drowsy though five seconds ago she was wide awake. More tears slowly found their way down her cheeks and onto her feather pillow covered in silk sheets.

Electra was an idiot, and she knew it all too well. What she wouldn't have done to go back in time and simply changed her mind about everything. If she had met him yet hadn't gone through with the plan, none of this would have happened. Of course she was too stupid and greedy at the time to realize where her priorities should have been.

She saw what she felt for Edmund, now she couldn't help but simply call him by his first name though she did not have the right to, was as forbidden as it was for fire to survive under the sea. It was something that he could never, and would never return for what she could offer him. Personally, she knew she had nothing to offer him, no goods nothing but her heart. And that was too black and tainted, she knew he wouldn't consider it.

The sun slowly set over the horizon, casting a soft gold glow in her room. Beyond the rustle of the trees and plants as well as the ocean outside, she could hear the sound of shouts and horses approaching, echoing around the stone walls of the castle, barely reaching her ears.

She knew it was someone affiliated with Tarkaan Salec, with a mind to bring her back to Calormen. Though she knew the High King wouldn't have allowed it, she was sure Edmund would have been happy to ship her back off at her earliest convenience. Despite having a longing to go back to the life she deserved, she didn't do it. Something told her to stay, some deep inside feeling that she couldn't name.

Electra didn't remember how much light was still cast in the room when she slept, all she knew was the subtle dream she had slipped into during the waking night.

She was back on the beach, the soft, warm sand underneath her as she lay there, the ocean, not in the least bit cool as it floated around her. Her eyes were open, watching the dancing stars that twinkled in the heavens, the moon nowhere to be seen. She let out a soft sigh allowing nature to consume her entirely.

"Electra."

Electra turned to see the familiar voice that addressed her. The outline of Edmund kneeling down next to her, barely visible in the glow of the night surprised her. He seemed beyond this world and beyond the world of any man.

"Your Majesty," she whispered, pulling herself up with the intention of curtsying politely. A hand on her shoulder and a finger to her lips silenced her, sucking the breath from her. There was something in his eyes she had not seen before, yet longed to see for the longest time.

"Just Edmund," he whispered, a small smile playing on his pale pink lips. They were the same ones that smiled at her before on the balcony, the same ones that now leaned forward and caressed her own in a soft and tender kiss.

Electra was hesitant at first, but it only lasted momentarily. Her shyness was quickly overcome and she found herself wrapping her arms around him, holding him close and never wanting to let go. After a moment though, she pulled away, unable to look at him.

"What's wrong?" his gentle whisper came in her ear, his breath on her neck. It was enough to send shivers down her spine.

"This isn't real," she thought to herself. "I'm dreaming."

She felt his hand slowly take her chin and tilt it back so she looked into his eyes once more. His dark tragic eyes. They were enough to make her melt at the sight of him.

"Then enjoy it while it lasts," he whispered, leaning forward for another kiss.

This time Electra didn't pull away, unable to keep herself from returning the passion this phantom gave her. She was lost, body, mind, soul, and heart to the King and nothing, not even time or a dream, could steal that from her. Tears streamed down her face, for she knew the bliss she felt then would only ever exist there: in a dream.


	19. The Ambassador

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

The Ambassador

Electra spent the entire next day in her room, leaving only to use the restroom. Her meals were brought to her, and she was pleasantly surprised to get a visit by Queen Lucy a little more than halfway through the day. What shocked her more was that when she arrived, she greeted the prisoner with a huge hug.

"Um," Electra managed to get out. She was too surprised by the sudden move of the Queen to get much of anything else out.

"It's so good to see you again!" the young Queen said once she pulled back. She was grinning from ear to ear, and Electra was sure she would have been bouncing off the walls had she not been held down by gravity. Before Electra could answer however she had already skipped over to the closet and was going through what seemed like an arrangement of dresses.

"There must be something in here that will fit you," Electra heard Queen Lucy mumble from the other side of the room in the closet. She could hear the sound of fabric on fabric as she shifted through the garmets.

Electra felt her face go red. So not only were they holding her here under house arrest, but they were expecting her as a guest as well? This was a bit too much.

"I'm fine wearing what I have on, your Majesty," Electra mumbled, "really." She looked down at her outfit she had worn, consisting of a black floor length skirt and a gray blouse that happened to be rather dirty from her journey.

"Nonsense," Queen Lucy replied, pulling out a plain white Narnian dress and setting it on the bed for her. "And it's Lucy while you're here. Now, I'm going to run and fetch some tea and when I come back I expect you to be changed and scrubbed up." Without another word she cheerfully left the room, closing the door to give Electra her privacy.

With a sigh, she changed, not having much of a choice in the matter anyway. Though in the end, she had to admit that wearing something light and clean was a nice change. She had scrubbed her skin clean in the water basin that had been placed in her room overnight. She wasn't sure how she felt about other entering her room while she had been sleeping. Then again, there were guards at her door; she doubted anyone who wanted to kill her would have gotten through.

Lucy was back in no time, followed by one of the most beautiful creatures Electra had ever seen in her life. It was a dryad, and she could tell one of a cherry blossom tree. She came in and set the tea tray on the bed. It had one pot, two cups and saucers, and a plate of small finger foods. Electra wondered what she did to deserve such delicacies.

"Is there anything else, your Majesty?" the dryad asked Lucy, who in turn shook her head.

"No thank you, unless you would like to join us."

The dryad bowed. "I have other things I must attend to, your Majesty," she replied. "But thank you for the invitation." With that the woman left, the door softly clicking behind her.

"I knew it was you the moment I saw you," Lucy said with a grin, bouncing over to the bed, careful not the tip the tray as she sat down. "You were the one with the beautifully crafted red Lone Island dress from the ball. You were the one who dance with Edmund." She let out a soft giggle before pouring the tea.

Electra felt her stomach twist into a knot. That night continually tormented her, yet she couldn't stop thinking about it. "Your Majesty?"

"Lucy," the Queen reminded her.

Electra nodded as the thought had slipped her mind. "My apologies, you—Lucy." Lucy grinned. Electra swallowed. "You're not angry with me? About what happened?"

Lucy set the teapot back on the tray, waving for Electra to join her. "Why would I be angry with you?"

"From what I did to E-your brother," she replied.

Lucy shook her head. "Peter told me the whole story. I believe you're sorry for what you did, and I forgive you. It's not your entire fault everything went the way it did. And thank you for getting back our things."

Electra was unable to suppress a small smile. "I appreciate it," she said, taking her teacup into her hand. She wondered what exactly the High King had told them.

Electra soon found that talking with Lucy was as easy as talking to Veil had been. Through the young queen she learned the Tarkaan Salec had arrived the previous night, just as she suspected, demanding her return. Her entire family, even Edmund much to Electra's amazement, had outright refused. She was on Narnian soil and under Narnian watch, and by law could not be taken back to Calormen.

Electra couldn't have been more thankful to the Kings and Queens for doing this for her. It was much more than she deserved. She was unable to understand Edmund's actions after his talk with her the previous evening, yet none the less, she appreciated it all the same.

Lucy then told her that Tarkaan Salec had left not that long ago, leaving behind one of his personal ambassadors to take over while he was gone.

"It's odd," Lucy thought to herself. "He came with five men, and I could have sworn he left with five, yet one was left behind."

"They're always double dealing," Electra commented. "No offense, but I have a bad reputation with the Calormens."

Lucy let out a giggle. "You're latest scandal can't have done you much good either," she commented, making Electra laugh as well.

"No, I guess not," she replied, looking down at her now empty cup of tea before setting it down on the tray, her mind wandering elsewhere.

"Why did you become a pirate?"

The sudden question caught Electra off guard, and she thought for a moment it was a joke question. When she turned to Lucy, however, she had a sincere confusion and interest about her that let Electra know she was being honest.

"I didn't really have a choice," Electra explained. "The day you first step foot on the crew deck you're considered a member. And I was brought upon it as a child."

"That must have been awful," commented Lucy.

Electra shrugged. "Not at the time. But looking back I wish things could have turned out differently."

"If they didn't you wouldn't have been able to help us," Lucy replied with a kind smile, placing her hand on one of Electra's.

Electra looked at the young Queen. Her kindness was without bounds and forgiveness without limits. "But none of this wouldn't have happened either," she replied.

"You don't know that," Lucy countered with a small smile.

Electra couldn't help but smile back. The two continued to talk for about the next few hours, Lucy chatting on as though she and Electra had been best friends for years that merely needed a lot of catching up to do. She told Electra the entire story of their arrival to Narnia and the White Witch, which gave Electra a much better understanding of Edmund, though it didn't make her feel the least bit better about the situation.

By the time an orange glow had filled her room once more Lucy had left; though she was still young she did have obligations to finish before the moon fully rose. Electra lay in her bed unable to fall asleep. The wind outside the open window was higher than the previous night and the sound of it in the trees were keeping her awake.

What was weirder, she felt as though she were being watched. The room was quiet and dark, however. Sighing, she stood up and walked over to the window, doing her best to pull it closed against the wind. The window banged with loud and multiple thuds and she made sure to lock it so it wouldn't fly open again.

Rubbing her eyes, she went over to the bed and lay down, facing the window and imagining of the freedom outside. Well, it wasn't much of a freedom anymore, she reasoned with herself. Besides, she felt content with staying prisoner here; it was close to the ocean and occasionally she might have caught a glimpse of the dark haired king.

Electra furrowed her eyebrows suddenly. There was something wrong, she thought to herself. She didn't feel as alone as she did before, she felt as though someone were watching her. Attempting to prove her paranoia wrong, she turned in her bed towards the door.

Something stood at the edge of her bed, obstructing her view. Her eyes slowly went up the figure and realized that something was actually a someone, face shielded by the shadows. And he was holding something sharp and shiny over her.

Electra let out a scream that pierced the night, rolling in the opposite direction. She felt to the hard floor with a thud, and it was a moment before she could regain herself and get up. Behind her she could hear the sharp ripping as the man tore into her sheets with his knife, missing his target.

She ran for the door, his footsteps behind her she could hear were fast approaching with a hungry stealth. A hunger for her blood. Outside she could hear the sounds of voices down the hall, but would they help someone like her? Upon reaching the doorknob she felt a strong arm wrap around her waiste and pull her away as well as the blade piercing her just below her ribcage in the back. She let out another agonizing scream, the second more bone chilling than the first.

Her door burst open and several faces appeared, but her vision was blurred as the pain of her wound seared her. She felt him instantly rip the weapon from her back and place it directly under her throat, already tainted with her blood. Her body was somewhat limp in his arms as he held her firmly as a shield.

"Let her go," Electra heard a male's voice commanding her captor. Weakly, she fingered her belt, searching for something there unseen by her attacker. The blade at her throat was still pressed firm, and she could feel a trickle of blood ooze down. Whether it was already from the knife or her neck, she didn't know.

"I think not," the man behind her growled. Electra blinked confused. Though it held somewhat of a Calormen accent, she knew the sound of it all too well.

"Let her go," a female voice commanded. Electra could hear the sound of something being pulled tightly back, like some sort of string. Her fingers were still on her waist. Finally she found what she was looking for, her small knife. Carefully she pulled it out and held it firm in her hand. She winced slightly as her back let out another agonizing throb. Her vision had begun to grow a bit more hazy.

"She's too valuable to let go at this moment," he hissed.

Electra mustered up what strength she had. "Since when did you stop listening to your superiours?" she asked with a grunt. Then, using what strength she could she plunged the knife behind her.

A yell from the man let her knew she hit her target, and she used the rest of her determination to twist the blade deeper before pulling it out of his stomach. It was a small amount of movement before a whistling sound struck her ears. He instantly let her go, stumbling backward as he did so.

Electra fell to the ground, glad to be free of the knife at her throat despite still bleeding severely from her back. Her own knife clambered next to her, having lost grip of it in her fall. Someone wrapped their arms around her and held her for support. Electra kept her eyes shut, hoping to block out the pain, though it was doing little to help.

There was another sharp thud before the sound of metal being plunged into something deep met her ears. Then all was quiet, she knew the man was dead. Less than several seconds later, she heard small hurried footsteps.

"Open her mouth," a young female voice urged.

"Hurry, Lu," a male voice urged. There was a tone of fear coming through his voice. "She's already lost a lot of blood."

Electra felt nothing but pain for several long moments before something sweet dripped its way down her mouth. It ran down her tongue and throat. There were a few seconds that seemed like nothing happened. Then the pain subsided.

Electra's eyes fluttered open and she looked around, sitting up. She reached behind her and felt her back. There was blood staining her clothes, but little more than that. Her skin was fully healed as though nothing had happened.

She looked around her. Lucy was kneeling next to her, and King Peter was leaning over Electra's attacker, cleaning off his sword that he'd killed the man, an arrow sticking out of his non-moving chest. Queen Susan was holding her bow. Electra turned to see who had been holding her. She blinked, as though it were some sort of illusion. Edmund was sitting behind her, watching her every move. She could make out in the hall there were fallen guards that had been standing outside her room. The Kings and Queens all were still dressed, and had been somewhere nearby when they heard her scream.

"The Tarkaan and Tisroc aren't going to be happy about this," the Queen disapproved to her elder brother. "Killing one of their own for any reason, even if it was a good one."

"There is little more we can do," the High King replied, "than convince them of the truth. Even if we did kill a Calorman, especially an ambassador, the fact that he threatened one of those residing in Cair Paravel-

"He wasn't a Calormen," Electra cut him off, moving slowly over to the dead body that lay on her floor. All eyes fell on her as she leaned forward, unbuttoning the top few buttons to his shirt, revealing a branded 'P' on the center of his chest. "I recognized his voice when he spoke to you."

"A pirate," Lucy whispered. Electra could feel her fear from where she sat, and heard her stand up and move next to Susan.

"Order a lockdown of Cair Paravel," the High King ordered the centaur guard that had arrived with the Kings and Queens. "No one leaves and no one enters until tomorrow morning. I want everyone searched. That is an order."

The guard bowed and left the room, his hooves clacking against the stone floor. Electra was no longer paying attention. It didn't matter if anyone was in the castle. She wasn't safe here, and if she was here, that meant none of the others would be safe either. Slowly she stood up, pushing past the guards and those that stood in the doorway.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Electra's voice halted at Edmund's voice. She swallowed, taking a breath before turning. He had followed her into the hallway; his siblings were heading down the hall in the opposite direction, no doubt to take care of other things. This left Edmund to deal with her. He was watching Electra with a look of disbelief and anger.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "But as long as pirates affiliated with the _Nomad_ know I'm here, every one of you is in danger. It's best if I leave immediately." She turned to move down the hall again.

"Now wait just a bloody minute!" Edmund's angry voice shouted behind her. She could hear several sharp footsteps before a sharp grip grabbed her arm, spinning her around. Adrenaline still high, her other arm swung around to lash him, though was quickly caught as well. The two stood there in close proximity, Edmund gripping both her arm and wrist tightly as she calmed herself down. She thanked Aslan there were no other guards around to witness it or she would have been in a huge amount of trouble.

"What do you want?" Electra asked a bitter tone in her voice. "First you say you want nothing to do with me. Now you won't let me leave. What is your problem?"

She could see the red growing in his face for her cheekiness. His grip on her wrists strengthened and she kept herself from wincing in pain. If she tried hard enough, she would be murdered that night by Edmund himself. However, he seemed to be using a great deal of effort to keep that from happening.

"When I said that," he growled, Electra could tell he was searching for words, "I meant I want nothing to do with you. Unfortunately, you are important to Narnia at the moment and I can't have you wandering off and getting yourself killed. So stop acting stupid and gain some common sense. Don't play into their hands."

Electra watched him, swallowing hard. She didn't understand him. He hated her and yet he was urging her to stay. He could have easily made the order as a king but no. Instead he was using persuasion.

"Please let go of me," she said.

"Not unless I know you're not going to wander off," he replied.

"I want to wash the blood off my hands," she replied. "Unless you want to accompany me."

Edmund immediately let go of Electra, and unless her eyes were deceiving her, she could have sworn he was blushing slightly in the shadows. Taking a breath, she turned and headed down the halls once again, only this time, she had no intention of leaving.

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**A/N: Thank you so much everyone who's reading, reviewing and all that jazz. I'm glad that those of you who have told me liked the story. I'll continue updating as frequently as a I can. Thanks again so much!**


	20. Heartache

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Heartache

The longer Electra stayed in Cair Paravel under house arrest, the odder she felt staying there. She still never left her room though, save to go to the bathroom, and all her meals were brought to her. She had now been moved into a different room under more protection than before. Electra wasn't sure if this was in case she had a change of conscience and decided to escape or if the crew of the _Nomad_ attempted to kill her once again. She knew it wouldn't be long before a second attempt arrived.

Lucy would visit her often, at least once a day. During the time they spent together Lucy would ask Electra to retell stories of her adventures as a pirate before coming to Cair Paravel. Electra found it odd Lucy would find such stories of pillage plunder and all that fascinating, considering the one who did all those things was sitting right in front of her.

Occasionally she saw the High King, though he usually never stopped for conversation. He was too busy running the country, and Lucy often reminded Electra of how stubborn he was, refusing to allow herself, King Edmund or Queen Susan take on some of the work load for themselves.

"It must be a huge burden," Electra commented during one of their meetings, "to be as young as himself and run an entire country."

"King Tut ran Egypt when he was my age," Lucy commented.

Electra looked at her questioningly. "What?"

"Oh," Lucy covered her mouth with a small giggle. "Sorry, long story back from the world I'm from. I'll explain it to you later."

Electra easily let the subject drop, not sure what to make of the world Lucy spoke of. Apparently where she was from, as many of the subjects in the castle referred to it as War Drobe and Spare Oom, was a different world entirely, not anywhere near Narnia or any of the other countries.

Electra saw even less of Queen Susan. She knew part of this was because Electra knew she was working hard on the upcoming Christmas festive. She also knew the Queen didn't trust her much from what Edmund had told her during their meeting.

Edmund she never saw, or if she did, it was for a fleeting second from another side of a room before leaving. It pained Electra as much as it confused her. If he hadn't cared one moment about her existence, why did he save her? Why did he keep her from leaving? Did he feel angry or the sort, and if so why? Did he feel as though he were in her debt?

Whatever the reason, it tore at Electra that he refused to even be in the same room as her, though she didn't blame him. She thought Lucy crazy for wanting to spend so much time with her. Despite this, Electra was thankful for the company. If she didn't have someone there, she was sure she would have gone completely crazy.

"Would you like to accompany me to the sparring room?" Lucy asked her one afternoon after their usual tea. Electra blinked, not sure what to make of this.

"Why?" she asked. Lucy didn't honestly expect Electra to fight her or anyone else there, did she?

"Well," the queen began, "Every month Peter and Edmund have a little sparring match. They haven't really been able to the past few months for," she faltered, "technical reasons. Fighting with another's sword is so much different than fighting with your own, I've heard. It's going to be the first time they've fought for a while, and it's sort of something everyone likes to come see. I thought I'd invite you." She ended her invitation with a cheery smile.

Electra stood for a few minutes, not sure what to think. After keeping silent, she asked, "What did your brothers say about you inviting me?"

Lucy giggled. "They won't mind," she replied with a smile. "Quite the contrary. I'm sure your expert opinion would help them significantly."

She hesitated, not sure if her expert opinion would even be welcome within the likes of Cair Paravel. The guards might have become uneasy with her there after all. And Electra was sure Lucy had not thought about this for a second.

"Come on," Lucy said with a grin, taking hold of Electra's wrist and pulling her out of the door before she could answer. "It will be fun, I promise."

Before Electra knew it she was being pulled through the castle and out into one of the courtyards. It was cool and sunny out, one of the last few days of decent weather they were to have, Electra knew, before the full force of winter hit.

There was a large circle in the middle of the courtyard with dirt as its surface. On one end she could see the High King strapping himself with leather protective armor while on the other side Edmund was doing the same. All around guards had come to watch them. Even Queen Susan, Electra was surprised to see, had taken time out of her busy schedule to watch

Lucy pulled Electra toward one of the front-most seats and sat down herself next to Queen Susan. The elder queen glanced at Electra before turning her attention back to her brothers.

"Gilbrook isn't attending then," Electra heard her mutter to Lucy. Electra's face fell. She knew this hadn't been a good idea.

"Susan," Lucy muttered, glancing at Electra apologetically, "be nice. And no. He's in Archenland at the moment, remember?"

"Ah yes," Queen Susan muttered to herself, fixing her dress. "Now I remember."

Electra glanced around. Everyone had been giving her uneasy expressions. She turned to Lucy.

"Look, your Majesty," Electra whispered, not daring to address the Queen formally in front of all their subjects, "not to be rude, but I really don't think I should be here."

"The only way you're being rude is by addressing me as 'your Majesty," Lucy replied with a smile. "I told you to call me by my first name. And of course you're welcome here."

"Lucy," Queen Susan muttered before having a short and sharp whispered conversation with her sister.

Though she wasn't about to admit it, the subjects weren't the only ones who made her feel slightly out of place. She could have sworn Edmund had just looked her way and it was almost obvious now that he was avoiding her gaze. He was taking extra care to make sure the blade of his sword wasn't dull.

"What if they hurt one another?" Electra asked worriedly. She knew how a friendly spar could turn into an ugly competition in the blink of an eye. And she worried for the King's safety.

"Do you really think they'd allow themselves to hurt one another?" Lucy said with a grin. "They're brothers."

Electra turned back to the circle, mumbling to herself. "I wouldn't know."

The two brothers faced each other. It was the most formal thing Electra had ever seen in her life and had she been inclined to do so, she would have laughed. From her own experience, Electra knew that when in the real world, fighting was no formal matter, no matter how kings and noblemen tried to make it so.

The first clash that rang in the air made Electra jump slightly, it was the first sound of metal on metal she had heard in months, and it had come from an attack by the High King. The two circled one another in a sort of unrhythmic combat dance.

"Uh oh," Electra heard herself mutter after about ten minutes of their spar. Her eyes had sharpened during the time and she was watching every single one of their moves.

"What is it?" Lucy asked.

"If Edm-King Edmund isn't careful, he's going to trip in a minute. Do you see that?" Electra pointed at a stance the two had just been in for a fraction of a second. "The way he blocked the High King's sword? He's putting too much weight into it and not enough into balancing his stance."

No sooner had the words come out of her mouth than it happened. Edmund fell forward on one knee, his sword on the ground. The High King had immediately lowered his sword and held out his hand. Both were breathing hard.

"That was amazing," Lucy muttered in awe. "How did you see that? I couldn't see anything."

"I've been holding a sword since I was seven," Electra replied as though this were nothing. "I've been trained to spot things like that and use it to my advantage."

"Oh, I'd love to see you spar," Lucy said in awe. "I bet you're really good."

"Who here would be willing to spar a pirate?" she asked to herself.

"I would."

There was a murmur among the crowd as the High King stood in front of Electra, still breathing hard. Edmund was back at his table, taking off his armor, looking a little sulky at his loss. Electra was lost for words, finding no way to utter a sound from her mouth. Lucy looked a bit excited. Queen Susan, she could tell, didn't think this was a good idea. Electra was with her on that one.

"I beseech you," Electra implored, "I don't think that would be such a good idea, your Majesty."

"Quite the contrary," he replied. "I'd like to see how good you are."

"Peter can take care of himself," Lucy whispered to Electra. "He was able to hold his own against the White Witch until Aslan came. He's gotten better since then."

Electra waited all eyes on her. She knew this wasn't a good idea, yet she was practically ordered to by the High King himself. Hesitantly she stood up from her seat. A faun came over and handed her a used sword. She picked it up, testing the weight in her hands. It was a bit heavier and older than the one she was used to, but it would definitely do.

She moved toward the center of the circle, perfectly aware of how everyone now had their eyes on her and the High King. She wished for a moment she could have asked to at least change out of the dress she was wearing. It wasn't a horrible dress to be sparring it, the top part was tighter and she was able to move easily. But it was still a nice dress and she didn't want to ruin it.

"Do you want any armor?" the High King asked.

Electra looked up and shook her head. Then answered to the surprised look on his face, "It just slows me down."

"I'd rather you be protected," he said slowly.

"I've never worn armor in my life," she replied, surprised to hear her voice give off a bit of a laugh. "I'm really not that worried about a spar."

He nodded, and entered the circle as well across from her. He bowed, and Electra did as well, feeling a bit odd for doing so.

"You were amazing, Electra," Lucy exclaimed. The two were in her room after their small spar. "I've never seen anyone with so much talent with a blade before. Except perhaps Orius. But compared to him you're so young!"

"Thanks, I guess," she said with a small smile, going behind the changing screen and getting out of her sweaty garments. She knew it wasn't worth the effort to ask Lucy to leave. She wouldn't have heard and kept on chatting.

"No, I mean it," Lucy protested. The sound of the mattress shifting under her weight told Electra she was now sitting on her bed. "You two were fighting amazingly, it was like you were never going to stop. That was, until Edmund stopped it."

"Yeah," Electra agreed, taking a moment to calm herself down. The spar was in her favor, and due to the High King's stubbornness, he refused to back down until Edmund had ordered a halt to their battle. It wasn't until then Electra had known he was watching. She had dropped the sword, ashamed, and ran from the scene, only to be stopped by Lucy who walked with her to her room.

"Perhaps you can practice with Edmund and Peter more often," Lucy suggested, a hint of a smile in her voice. "Especially Edmund. I still can't believe how you saw what would happen before it did! It was amazing."

"Just years of learning to watch," Electra replied, her mind still on the match.

She could clearly remember the look on Edmund's face when he had shouted for the end of the spar. It was stiff and emotionless, one that Electra had seen once before. He had been standing up before hurrying to help his brother. King Peter had been standing, though barely so. He had refused to forfeit the match.

A knock came to the door and Electra hurried to finish putting her dress back on.

"Come in!" Lucy's cheery voice called.

Electra went red. Sure, she couldn't be seen from behind the curtain, but she was still getting dressed. It irritated her slightly at how naïve the young queen could be sometimes.

"Where is she?" a familiar voice asked. Electra's face went completely red and she ducked as far down to the ground as she could though she couldn't be seen anyway, scurrying to finish putting her dress on. The last thing she needed was Edmund to see her in this state.

There were hushed whispers Electra couldn't hear before the door snapped closed. Once she was finished, she peered from around the curtain. Lucy was still sitting on the bed, playing with the hem of her skirt.

"Who was that?" Electra asked pretending to be ignorant thought she had recognized the voice immediately.

"Oh, that was Edmund," Lucy replied, hopping off the bed. "He wanted to talk to you. He's waiting outside."

"Oh," Electra glanced at the door, not really sure if she wanted to see the person behind it right away.

"I have to go anyway," Lucy continued, moving to the door. "It's been ages since I've spoken to Mr. Tumnus. It's time I've paid him a visit." Before Electra could say anything, she had already pulled the door open and skipped outside. Edmund had replaced her soon after, watching Electra.

"May I come in?"

"Does his highness need permission?" Electra asked looking at the ground and knowing her cheeks were probably bright red. "I was under the impression I was the guest of your home."

"I didn't want to be rude," he replied, stepping inside and closing the door behind him with a soft click.

A silence fell between the two of them, and Electra was doing her best not to break it. His simply being there was hard for her to stand. Her heart was beating in her chest and her breathing was getting heavier. She felt as though he was simply there to torment with her emotions. Finally she could stand the silence no longer.

"Is there something you wanted, your Majesty?" she asked, finally looking up at him. Much to her surprise, and pleasure, he wasn't giving her an emotionless hard stare as he did before. Instead, this look was filled with curiosity.

"How did you learn to fight like that?" he asked.

Electra blinked, expecting this least of any topic he might have come up with. "I've been using a blade for many years, your Majesty," she replied, unsure why he was asking this. "I practically was raised on one, like one is raised to read or write."

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone with that much skill before," he replied in what Electra could make out as awe. Was he in awe at her? "Perhaps maybe the White Witch. Then again, I don't know of anyone who might have beaten her, she was really good."

"Is this the reason why you came here, your Majesty?" Electra asked him curiously. After being told by him he wanted nothing to do with her, this social call seemed a bit off. Another silence fell as the two watched one another, the only sound that filled it was the pounding of Electra's hear against her chest.

"No," he replied finally. "I needed to talk to ask you something."

Electra nodded, her heart sinking at the tone in his voice. Whatever he had come to ask her, she could tell it wasn't a joyful thought.

"During the masquerade," he began, "the one where you and the pirates stole our things... Is it true what you told Peter about it?"

"What's that your Majesty?" she asked.

"Did you talk the others out of kidnapping us and instead steal our things?"

Electra felt herself shaking slightly. Why was he asking her such things? She hated herself for what she had done that night. All she could do was simply look at the floor.

"Were you trying to use me to get our things back?" he asked.

"No!" she quickly replied, feeling tears prickle her eyes. "I would never dream of using you, your Majesty. In all my life, those few moments I had with you were the most honest I've ever been. I never meant to come anywhere near you or your sisters. It just… happened that way."

"And are you sorry for it?" he asked.

Electra hesitated. Was she sorry for it? She was sorry she had caused so much trouble, but was she sorry for the time they had spent together? Honestly, she wasn't because if she hadn't gone, she wouldn't have ever met Edmund.

"No," she replied, knowing this was probably the more painful answer. "I'm not sorry I came in contact with you."

"Why didn't you simply tell me what was going on when you had the chance?" Edmund asked. "Then you could have saved yourself all this mess."

"They were my family," she replied, doing all she could to keep the tears from falling. "I couldn't betray them. They took me in when my parents left me for nothing. They were there when I had no one. They protected me from the other pirates."

Edmund's expression had turned cold once again, and she didn't blame him. From what she had heard about his experiences with the White Witch, betrayal wasn't an easy topic for him to deal with.

"We could have protected you," he said sternly.

"They'll come anyway," she replied. "You don't know what they're like. Pirates are vicious creatures, your Majesty. They'll stop at nothing to get what they want."

"You're not vicious."

Electra took a step back, astounded he had said this. "What?"

"I don't know how you can affiliate yourself with them," he continued. "You might be branded and inclined to take orders, but from what I've come to understand within the past few weeks, Electra. You have a good heart." He took a deep breath. "I was rude and rash before. I wanted to know if I could have a second chance."

"Second chance?" she asked.

"Of maybe being friends?"

Electra's heart stopped altogether. She forced herself into a smile though. "Of course, your Majesty," she replied in a curtsy in a time she knew would be the beginning of a huge heartache. "I would be honored."

"It's Edmund," he replied with a smile and a bow. "And we're expecting you to join us for dinner tonight." With one last bow he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Electra instantly collapsed onto the bed, sobbing as quietly as she could into her pillows. She was sure just being friends with Edmund would hurt even more than him simply ignoring her altogether.


	21. The High King's Mistress

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

The High King's Mistress

Days quickly grew shorter and colder as winter months came closer upon the castle. Queen Susan had been frantic about making sure all the invitations were sent out for the Christmas celebration. Anyone who had gotten in her way was forced to help out with the decorations or the guest room arrangements.

The first few frosts had already passed and Electra still spent most of her days still with Lucy. Even though Edmund had recently given his consent to be friends with Electra, he found himself many a time under his elder sister's watchful eye with helping decorate the castle. One of these times, Electra found out later, was because he had hidden her guest list somewhere in the depths of the enormous library.

"She takes these things too seriously," he complained one afternoon after being freed from, what he called his servitude, and was now playing a quiet game of chess with Lucy.

Electra watched, having never really played chess before and seemingly interested by the concept of the game. Edmund and Lucy seemed rather evenly matched, and Electra couldn't help but be entranced that they would have time for such idle things when they were running a country.

"Peter hardly lets us do anything," Edmund replied, and Electra could hear a tiny hint of complaint in his voice. "And you're on your own when you get in Susan's way."

"Does your brother ever take time for his own?" Electra asked curiously.

"Rarely," Edmund replied. "He's proud to do the job, and he's a bit too responsible. He takes it upon himself to look after all of us, though the last time he stayed in his study for three days strait, Susan grounded him." Lucy giggled at this.

"Grounded?" she asked.

Lucy nodded, "She basically said he couldn't leave his room for a full day. He had to either play chess with Edmund, or read a book. Something that didn't have anything to do with running the country. I've never seen Peter so restless before."

"It was the first time I sent any political letters," Edmund added. "But he needs to realize that we need the practice if he's ever going to be away for long periods of time. Besides seeing him grounded was the best treat I've ever had."

"Yeah," Electra murmured to herself, slightly tuning out of the conversation. She thought of how the High King had left with her, and how irritated he seemed to be. At first it seemed to be all directed at her because of the incident that had happened. But could it also have been because he was leaving his kingdom which he took care of so carefully? Was he in fear that he would be gone for a long time and the others would be unprepared?

Electra's eyes peeled away from her thoughts and to one of the two individuals sitting in the room with him. Somehow, simply just the sight of him sitting there calmed her thoughts so that all that remained in her mind was him.

"Checkmate."

The sound of Lucy's voice brought her back to reality. She looked at the game board, a few of the pieces far from where they had been. How long had she been staring off into space?

"What?" Edmund asked incredulously, staring at the chess board in disbelief. "No fair! There's no way you could have checkmated me!"

"Two out of three?" she asked with an innocent grin.

"No way," he replied, standing up. "You cheat."

"I do not cheat," Lucy replied, also standing. Electra stood up to follow them, and Lucy automatically hooked her arm with her own. "Electra, tell Edmund I don't cheat. He's such a liar."

"Lucy says she doesn't cheat," Electra replied with a small laugh. Sibling rivalry was interesting to watch. It was a rivalry, but out of love. The rivalry she had with her brothers was more out of competition than anything else. She was intrigued by it.

The three of them stepped into the hall, but no sooner had they done so than a loud voice met their ears.

"Edmund!" Susan's shout echoed through the halls.

"What did you do this time?" Lucy laughed.

"I don't know!" he protested. No sooner had these words come out than Susan came from around the corner. Electra stayed behind the other two, determined not to get caught up in this.

"Where did you hide the crystal ornaments?" she asked harshly. Beneath her dress Electra could hear the toe of her shoe tapping impatiently against the marble floor.

"Oh. Forgot about those," Edmund muttered. He didn't have much time to react as the irritable queen reached over and grabbed his ear, pulling him away from the other two. His echoed pained yelps and her stern questions could be heard all the way down the hall.

"How did she get the name Susan the Gentle?" Electra asked Lucy, sidling up next to her once she knew it was safe.

"Well, normally she's quite serene," Lucy informed her. "It's just at times like these when she gets irritable that she turns into a 'raging dragon,' as Edmund calls her." Lucy let out a giggle before something caught her attention. "Oh! Look!"

Electra turned to face what Lucy had been exclaiming at. She had been looking out the window, where soft flakes slowly found their way to the ground: Narnia's first snowfall.

"Oh! It's beautiful!" Lucy exclaimed, running over and pressing her nose up against the glass. "I love the snow! Ice skating, snow ball fights, snow man building, warm cider, fires, but best of all is Christmas." Giggling, she turned to face Electra. "Don't you love Christmas?"

Electra nodded, coming over next to the young queen, though not going quite as far as pressing her nose against the glass. She was close enough, however, that her breath created a fog against the glass.

"My ear's going to be red for a weak," a voice said from behind them; the same voice that always made Electra's heart skip. Electra turned to see Edmund walking up to them rubbing the ear his sister had pulled.

"Why did she need the crystal ornaments now?" Lucy inquired, pulling her gaze from the window. "Christmas isn't for another full three weeks."

"Something about one of the guests coming early," he replied, his voice obviously in pain. "I think Lady Crystalline." He raised his eyebrows and rolled his eyes at the name of the woman.

Lucy let out a giggle. "Well, can you blame Susan for wanting the castle decorated? Especially with her having a little 'thing' going on with Peter." She let out another giggle.

Edmund looked as though he wanted to gag. "I think they're actually going public with the whole thing over the Christmas Celebration. Anyway, she's gonna be here before the next two days pass, so Susan wants the house decorated by then."

Electra had been silently listening from where she stood, though acted oblivious. She knew Lady Crystalline by name. She was supposedly one of the more important women of Terebinthia. Apparently, from what Lucy and Edmund just said, they were having some sort of relationship and were going public with it in three weeks. Electra made a mental not to herself to keep her mouth shut.

"Brilliant! Snow!" Edmund moved over to the window, pressing his hands against his glass and looking out over the land. "I've been itching for a snowball fight for ages."

"Well, if the snow keeps up over the night, then we'll have one tomorrow," Lucy replied. She turned to Electra. "Are you in?"

"For?" Electra's mind had wandered off for a few moments, watching the sun passing onto the dark haired King.

"A snow ball fight, of course!" Edmund replied with a laugh. "I'm so getting Peter! He needs a break from all that work he's doing."

"You're not going to throw more snowballs at him while he's in his study are you?" Lucy asked. "You know it took ages for you to recopy those papers for him."

"How else am I going to get him to come outside and play with us?" he asked. "Besides, I might be a King but I'm still a teenager and am entitled to have fun every once in a while."

The next morning Electra awoke rather later than usual. The sun was hinting through her window. Surprisingly she had missed the sunrise, something she had never done before. But it was especially odd at this time when the days were becoming shorter.

Electra moved to the window and looked out. A sparkling diamond-flaked blanket met her eyes that covered the entirety of the castle. Icicles hung from the roofs and terraces that stuck out here and there. She could see in the courtyard one of the ponds had frozen over and some of the inhabitants of Cair Paravel were already skating across the thick ice.

Electra moved to her closet and quickly changed into her warmest dress and boots, pulling back her hair before grabbing her cloak and heading out. She had never seen the first full Narnian snowfall before, and if she had permission from the Kings and Queens, she might have just been able to venture onto the grounds to see it.

She had barely turned a corner however, when something cold smacked against her face. Electra shut her eyes, spitting against the snow that had escaped into her mouth and wiping it from her skin. The sound of familiar laughter echoed the halls.

"Ed!"

Behind Electra, she could hear quick footsteps approaching before someone whipping the snow from her. Electra blinked against the flakes and saw the outline of Queen Susan brushing her off.

"I swear," she ranted to herself, "if he doesn't act the way he's supposed to I'm going to—" her thoughts were cut off by a snowball hitting her in the shoulder.

"Edmund Pevensie! I swear, when I get a hold of you—!"

"What's going on here?" Electra faltered at the sound of the High King approaching. She knew what was coming and quickly ducked her way to the side of the hall. Sure enough, another snowball came flying and hitting its target—the High King. Only this time, Electra saw Edmund duck into the room he had been hiding.

"Ed!" The High King shouted, only this shout wasn't one of anger, there was laughter in it. In a moment he was charging down the hall, and Edmund was fleeing from the room and out a side door.

Electra, curious and excited by the sudden attack that had happened followed them while Susan stalked off, muttering about 'boys.' Outside the doors was a sight in itself to behold.

The three children, Lucy, Edmund, and the High King had suddenly engaged in a snowball fight. Electra couldn't help but laugh at the sight, having fun by simply watching the three of them laughing and hitting each other with snowballs as though it were the most royal past time.

A snowball exploded against the landing Electra stood at.

"You can't get enough snow to make a snowball from up there!" Edmund called, ducking behind a bush to avoid two attacks by his siblings. "You're a sitting duck!"

"Speak for yourself," Electra laughed, but she soon hurried down the short flight of steps and began packing snow, before lobbing it at her first target.

Electra had never once experienced something like this before. It was true, the pirate in her got a thrill whenever the idea of looting or the like came into her head, but this was something extremely different. This was _fun_. She quickly packed another snowball and threw it at Edmund. It made perfect contact with the back of his head. He whipped around an excited glint in his eyes.

"Hey!" he shouted before charging at her in as much speed as he could in the snow.

Electra let out a surprised yell and ran in the opposite direction. He was too fast for her, and his collision sent them both toppling into the snow. Electra felt herself practically choking with laughter, and Edmund doing so next to her.

The sound of horns filled the air, the only thing to silence their laughter. Electra sat up, catching Edmund doing the same next to her. Both King Peter and Lucy were looking in the direction of the front gates.

"She's here," Electra heard the King Peter mutter to himself before hurrying over to the steps and leaving the courtyard.

Electra turned around to face Edmund and Lucy with a quizzical expression. Edmund shrugged. Lucy, on the other hand, looked as though she were about to burst into a fit of giggles. It took a few moments for things to click into Electra's head.

"Ah," she said, slowly getting herself to her feet and dusting the snow from her skirt. 'She's here' must have meant the arrival of Lady Crystalline. Lucy looked excited about the idea, and Edmund looked just bewildered.

"I can't wait to see her again," Lucy chimed up hurrying up the stairs, snow beginning to melt into her clothing. "She's so nice and pretty! She's responsible, well brought up, a lovely singer. I can see why Peter likes her so much."

Lucy skipped off down the hallway ahead, just as Electra reached the door. Edmund let out a groan behind her.

"What?" she asked turning to face him.

"Girls scare me," he replied, repeating what he had told her the night they first met.

Electra could help but laugh slightly at his words. "Be glad she's not trying to court you then," she replied, feeling her heartbeat quicken a bit. It had just occurred to her that they were very much alone, and the subject of courting was very fragile with Electra. Especially when it came to who Edmund was courting.

"She's not my type anyway," he replied shaking the excess snow from his dark hair.

"What is your type?" Electra questioned him before she could stop herself. Something in her hoped he would describe her while the other part knew that was wishful thinking.

"Why?" he asked, glancing over at her and brushing his wet sleeves.

"No reason," she quickly replied, turning her head so it seemed as though she was studying the wall as they passed. In truth, she was keeping him from seeing how red her cheeks had suddenly become. She was glad when Edmund did not question him further.

"Once you change meet us at the front gate," Edmund then said as they got to the hallway at which they would have to part. "Peter requested everyone in the castle be out to meet Crystalline."

"Ah," Electra replied. "I suppose that includes me, even though I'm under house arrest?" she asked.

"Afraid so," he shrugged. "To be honest, I'd rather go take a nap after that exercise." He stretched his arms out and yawned. "Anyway, I'll see you again soon."

Electra watched as he headed down the hall toward his room. It was a moment before she realized she was actually staring. She quickly shook her head, trying to snap out of it, before hurrying down the hall toward her room. She changed as quickly as she could into one of the warmer dresses provided and pulled her hair back into a bun so it wouldn't seem as though she'd just spent the last good hour playing in the snow. Though she'd never before met the woman, she seemed inclined to impress her for some unknown reason. Perhaps it was because King Peter had given her a second chance, and she needed to pay him back in any way possible.

She then hurried to the front gate, and wasn't surprised to see she was probably the last one to arrive. Peter was already greeting a maiden who was getting out of her carriage, kissing her hand politely.

The woman had was pale and had platinum blonde hair that were twisted into elaborate curls that hung around her head and down to her shoulders. Half of it was held up and twisted into an elegant bun on the back of her head. She was wearing a navy blue dress trimmed with pale gold that was cut in the Terebinthia. She was wearing pearls. Her face was perfect. Her figure was perfect. Her appearance was perfect. Too perfect in Electra's eyes.

There was something about the way she carried herself, or that shone behind the depths of her green eyes that said something more. It was a message Electra couldn't read, but certainly didn't like.

"I'm glad to be back in Narnia," she said, her voice carrying like a song through the cold air. Even that was perfect. Electra wished she could go inside, but she had been ordered to stay out here.

"Why don't I escort you inside?" King Peter asked, offering his hand to her and leading her up the stairs.

"Thank you," she replied, her eyes gazing over all of the people there. "So I hear you're holding a pirate prisoner here? In Terebinthia we would simply hang such a treasonous creature."

"She is but a child," King Peter replied, continuing the conversation. "She knows her wrongs and has done what she had to do to make amends." As they passed his eyes flickered over to Electra's and she could have sworn he was smiling at her.

"Pirates," Lady Crystalline said, "can never be trusted. I'd be careful, your Majesty. I don't want you or your family hurt."

"Trust me," King Peter replied as they reached the doors. "I know what I'm doing."

Electra watched their backs retreat into the castle and a small fire grew within her. Though she had hardly seen the woman for a second, she already despised her with a deep loathing passion. She just seemed so… fake. And how she judged people simply by their title? Electra knew there was more to this woman than met the eye.


	22. A Christmas Wish

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

A Christmas Wish

"Electra! Wake up! It's Christmas!"

The sound a female's cheery voice pulled Electra from her blackened sleep. She blinked into the dark room, the door wide open and the shadow of someone rushing to her bed. Electra let out surprised yell and ducked out of the way, still have dozed. It took her a minute to realize she was only being attacked by Lucy, who had come over and bounced on her bed.

"Wake up," she said grinning from ear to ear. "It's Christmas morning! Presents! Father Christmas is coming today!"

"Does it technically count as morning if the sun is far from rising?" Electra asked. Rubbing her eyes and pulling the covers closer around her. Though a fire had been lit in her bedroom, it was still cold. Electra glanced over at her window and noticed it had completely frosted over, clouding her view of the sea. The thought of being away from it didn't hurt so much anymore.

"How can you even sleep on Christmas?" Lucy asked, running over to Electra's closet as she did every other day and looking through it.

Electra took the time to glance over at Lucy. She was already fully dressed in a silvery satin gown that glowed against what light they had in the room. Her red hair had been twisted into an elegant knot behind her head, trimmed with what looked like cherry blossom leaves. Her silver crown sat atop her head.

"Here you are," she replied, pulling out a dress and laying it on the bed. Electra glanced over it, her face going a bit red. This was a dress she had not seen before. It was a deep navy blue, trimmed with silver and delicately embroidered with silver leaves. It seemed to be made of satin as well.

"The party isn't until tonight," Electra commented, not entirely sure why Lucy was getting her things together this early in the morning. Had she heard wrong? "And I'm supposed to be a prisoner here. Why am I invited to parties?"

"I believe Peter told you once that the next time you came, you'd be an esteemed guest. Besides, Christmas lasts the whole day," Lucy countered. "If you wish to have anything for Christmas, what would it be?"

Electra's mind went straight to one such individual, Lucy's younger of the two brothers. She knew that was as impossible as fire was to erupt in the sea. "I don't know…" she said slowly.

"I'm sure that you want something," Lucy said. For the first time she seemed to be hinting at something. "Or someone."

Electra's eyes snapped up to meet hers, her face going bright red. How? How had Lucy found out? Had she been that obvious? If she had then surely Edmund would have noticed as well. Electra swallowed. "It's not… It's not what you think," she said quickly.

"I've seen the way you act around him. I know there's something there. It's alright," Lucy said with a smile. "I think it's lovely that you feel that way about Edmund." The simple utterance of his name made her heart quicken. "It's so cute."

"No," Electra tried to protest. "I don't… Lucy please…"

"Don't worry," Lucy said, placing her hand over Electra's. "Edmund has no clue. He's so oblivious to everything around him, he can't figure something out that's staring him in the face."

This gave Electra mixed feelings. For one she was glad he didn't know of her feelings for him. And two, she was heartbroken he didn't know, if there was even a chance he could return them.

"Cheer up, Electra," Lucy continued. "It's Christmas. You never know what the end of the day will bring you. Now get dressed. I have to go re-wake your dream boy. I expect you in the dining hall for breakfast in about ten minutes." With that she skipped from the room, careful to close the door behind her, leaving a blushing Electra alone in the room.

Electra looked down at the gown again; so she was a guest and she was being treated with fine garments and invited to parties. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of clothing she had ever laid eyes on, and for the Kings and Queens to allow her to wear something like this was almost unthinkable. It took a moment for her to realize: Edmund would be seeing her in this. Her cheeks went bright red. The only thought that entered her mind was, what would he think?

She needn't have worried however, as when she entered the dining hall. Many of those already in the dining hall, who didn't know who she was, gave her praises of how she looked. Edmund too smiled and even went as far as kissing her hand, a gesture that made Electra's face grow red. Even King Peter came over and complimented on how nicely she looked. Electra was sure to give all the credit to Lucy.

The only one who did not seem to approve of her presence there was Lady Crystalline, who seemed to be completely ignoring her as though she were nothing more than air. Electra forced herself not to be bothered by it, as the Lady was only staying as long as the celebration lasted.

The day flew by in a blur, guests arriving minute by minute. The place wasn't nearly as crowded as it had been for the reunification of the Lone Island party had been, something Electra found odd as only Archenlanders and Narnians had been invited. However she felt more at home here. Everyone could see who she was, without a mask, and almost no one judged her.

Then, just before dinner began, there was the announcement that Father Christmas had arrived. Everyone gathered to the front gates, where a man in a red coat stood in front of a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Electra thought it ironic that he drove the same carriage that the White Which also drove around four years ago. No, Electra reminded herself. It was dawning on five now. Once this winter passed and spring came, it would be the five year anniversary since Jadis's fall.

Father Christmas's bag seemed small from where Electra stood from the back of the crowd, watching as everyone else waited to receive their presents. Naturally, the Kings and Queens of Narnia were first.

Lucy had been given a bouquet of flowers that seemed to never stop blooming—ever frozen in time and never growing or dying. She looked thrilled at the thought of something so precious. Edmund was next in receiving something small and round. She heard Father Christmas say it was a compass, something that would help one find their way when lost. Queen Susan was next, and she also received a bouquet of ever blooming flowers. Just like Lucy she looked rather pleased with her gift. King Peter was the last, and he received what looked like a book. She couldn't tell exactly what was in it, but all the same, King Peter looked happy with it.

"Am I correct in saying there is an Electra here?" Father Christmas then asked the High King.

There was a soft murmur in the crowd, and it took a minute for Electra to realize they were talking of her. She blinked. There was no way Father Christmas would have known she was here, or if she did, she was sure she deserved nothing he could give her. Edmund parted the crowd and came over, taking her hand and making her face go red despite the cold.

"Come on," he said, pulling her down eagerly.

Electra stopped in front of Father Christmas, looking at him with a confused expression.

"These are for you," he said, first holding out a letter, which she took slightly confused. The second she felt her heart stop. In his hand was a silver heart-shaped locket with a beautiful intricate design carved into it.

"I…" she began, finding words difficult to muster, "…I can't accept that." Her voice was barely audible, almost a whisper.

"It is yours," Father Christmas said with a smile. "Your mother would have wanted you to have it."

Electra's eyes snapped up to his. "My mother?" she asked bewildered. "You knew my mother?"

Father Christmas nodded, still holding out the locket. Slowly, she took it in her hand, afraid of breaking the delicate piece. Carefully she opened it. Inside were two small painted pictures and for the first time ever, Electra's eyes fell upon her parents.

She could see the resemblance, her eyes, his dark hair. She didn't care to question how someone had been able to paint them that small. All that she could see was them looking happily up at her. She felt her eyes well with tears and she closed the precious necklace.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Father Christmas nodded and without a word, began handing out the rest of the presents. Electra quickly made her way through the crowd and into the castle. She didn't stop until she reached her room.

She sat at her desk, setting the locket to the side before looking at the letter for the first time. It was tightly sealed, and she wondered who it could have been from. Perhaps her family? Her mother? Wondering where she was all these years? Perhaps it was not as Alec had described. Perhaps she had been lost rather than abandoned.

Electra ripped the letter open and looked down at the handwriting. It was familiar, taking away any possible hope that it could have been from her biological family. Instead, it was a letter from Veil.

_My dear Electra,_

_How I long to see you and your brothers. Alec and I are hiding in the southern hills of Telmar in a small city with our tenant Aldra, and we are happy to say Alec and I are the proud parents of a young daughter. She was born prematurely, but she is in good health. We've named her Angel, as we believe she was a gift from the heavens. I guess you were right to say we should believe in Aslan._

_We have received your currency and thank you so much for your encouragement. We've lasted this long and I know we soon will see each other again. Perhaps you could find a way to stow away from the crew and come live with us. We are in no more danger here as I am sure they have stopped searching. If we haven't told them up by now, surely they know we will not in the future._

_I long to see you so, my daughter. And I hope you and your brothers are well._

_All my best_

_Veil_

Electra read the letter over and over until her eyes hurt. So Veil and Alec were safe, and hadn't heard of her own fortune. For that she was glad, as they probably would have done something rash like come after her or worry about her. She was glad, at least, that the child was in a healthy condition, especially with all of Veil's drinking.

Electra also felt a small tug at her heart. Veil had called Electra her daughter, and yet here she had a gift, supposedly from her biological mother. She didn't know what exactly to do with all of this information pouring over her.

After a moment, she resolved to figure everything out later. She set the letter aside and unclasped the necklace, draping it around her neck. To not have worn the necklace would have been rude, and Electra wanted to be anything but rude. Standing up, she left her table and opened her door.

Edmund was standing in the doorway, as though he'd been waiting for her this entire time. His hand had been up, looking like he had been preparing to knock, yet hesitant to do so. Both jumped back at the sudden presence of one another.

"Edmund," Electra gasped, trying to calm her fast beating heart she knew was caused by more than just the sudden scare.

"Oh, sorry," he replied, with a shifty grin, placing his hand at his side. "I was just worried about you. You rushed inside rather quickly."

"I was cold," Electra quickly replied, though this wasn't the reason for her absence.

"Ah," Edmund responded, looking a little lost for words and seemingly uncomfortable for being so. "That's a nice locket."

"Oh," Electra blushed, taking the locket in her hand and looking down at it. "Thank you. Well, thank Father Christmas. He gave it to me." She let out a soft laugh which was sort lived before cursing herself for acting like an idiot.

"Yeah," Edmund commented. He stared at the necklace for a moment before turning his eyes to his boots.

Electra looked at his outfit and for the first time that day really saw what he was wearing. He, like Lucy and Electra was dressed in satin. His clothes were silver and trimmed with a dark navy blue. After a moment Electra realized she too was wearing the exact same colors, only reversed. Her face went pink and she was glad Edmund was not watching her at that moment. She had a fleeting feeling Lucy had made sure the two of them matched that day.

"Would you like an escort back to the throne room?" Edmund asked after a moment, offering his arm to her. Electra nodded, before realizing maybe she had done so a bit too soon. There was no going back now however. She took his arm and allowed him to lead her back to the throne room and the rest of the Christmas celebration.

Dancing and celebration filled the rest of the night. Many wine glasses were filled multiple times and laughter soon grew louder. People's faces grew rosier as the night grew darker. It wasn't long before many had gone off to bed, and those who remained now gathered in a sitting room, including Electra and the four Narnian rulers.

"Does anyone have another game to finish the night off with?" Lady Crystalline asked into the group of about twenty individuals who had been sharing stories, playing word games and drinking wine.

"I know!" Lucy exclaimed, getting up from her chair. "We could play hide and seek!"

"That's a kid's game Lucy," Queen Susan said, covering her mouth after hiccupping a bit. "I'm sure many of us are tired and would like to go to bed."

"On the contrary," Lady Crystalline replied, setting her own goblet down to the side. "I think hide and seek is a wonderful idea."

Electra watched Queen Susan's disapproved expression at the thought of hide and seek quickly melt away. "Well, I suppose it might be fun."

"Last one out of the room is it!" Lucy exclaimed, dashing from the door, giggling all the way.

Electra wouldn't have guessed this many people would have been interested at the idea of playing hide and seek, but apparently everyone was agreeable in the idea. Electra soon found herself with the small crowd of people that hadn't already gone to bed quickly leaving the room before she could be designated 'it'.

The halls were dark and the sound of giggling echoed throughout them. It was as though everyone were everywhere. Electra steered her way through the halls, trying to keep her mind clear of what the spiced wine had not done in already. Everything seemed to be moving a bit around her. Whoever thought of the game hide and seek after drinking and a celebration had to be out of their mind.

The sound of voices sounded off behind her and a wrist caught her off guard. Electra let out a small giggle. The one pulling her let out a sound that sounded between a laugh and a 'shh' as it pulled her into a room before closing the door.

The door closed shut and Electra found herself backed against it, someone practically against her and listening for the sound of people passing by in the halls. The smell of wine lingered in the air; was it from her or the other individual that was there. More voices sounded in the hall and Electra let out a mischievous giggle.

"Be quiet," Edmund's soft laugh came from next to her as he placed a finger over her lips, still listening at the door. Though his voice stayed quiet, the sound was going in and out like one that was slightly intoxicated. "They'll hear you and we'll be found."

"Sorry," she giggled softly. It took her a moment to actually realize how close in proximity the two of them were. Her breath caught in her throat, yet like all the other times before, she didn't feel herself blushing. Instead she felt perfectly comfortable being this close to him.

"I think they're gone," Edmund whispered, pulling his head away from the door so that he was situated standing in front of her. Even in the darkened room, though she could make out little more than his outline, he still looked perfect.

"If we hurry, we might be able to move before they come back," he breathed, reaching for the handle to open the door, though never taking his eyes off of her.

At this point Electra didn't care if they were eventually found, as long as she didn't have to leave here just yet. Perhaps it was her slightly drunken state that inclined her to do so, or perhaps she just had a rash impulse to do something completely stupid, but within a matter of moments Electra found herself pulling the dark King closer to her so that she could do something she had longed to do for ages.

Her lips met his with a longing and heated passion, and her arms moved around his neck, pulling him closer and deeper into the kiss. She couldn't tell whether or not he seemed as eager as she was in her dazed state, but he certainly wasn't pulling away. Instead he seemed to be pressing himself closer against her, his hands on either side of the door to keep her there.

Electra pulled away for a second to catch her breath, now heavy before crashing her mouth to his once again. She felt a type of electricity raging through her body, wanting more than just this small contact, but not daring to go so far.

"Come with me," Edmund whispered, his lips moving against hers as they had barely parted for his request.

He took her hand and pulled the door open, checking to make sure no one was in the halls before racing down deeper into the castle, Electra holding on tightly to his hand in fear that letting go would mean that it all was but a dream. Lucy had been right. There was no way she could have foreseen how the end of this Christmas Eve would have turned out.


	23. Hushed Secrets

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

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Hushed Secrets

Pain. Intense head pain. Electra opened her eyes, her head throbbing with an agony she hadn't felt since the first time she drank whiskey. The light pouring in past the open curtains didn't help that matter at all. Slowly, pushing herself to move though her body groaned that it was too tired to do so. She lifted herself from her bed and moved over to her window, closing the curtains and looking around.

Her room was the same as it had been yesterday afternoon when she left it. The only thing she didn't remember was coming back to it. Slowly she made her way back to the bed setting herself gently down. She made a mental note that she was still in her satin dress. What had happened the night before that left her this disoriented?

She remembered drinking, that was for sure. It was no wonder she woke up with such a sore hangover. Electra resolved to herself never to drink again, even though she knew that wouldn't last. She forced herself to remember to the night before even though it hurt to do so.

Last night… she definitely remembered drinking. Then there was something that happened with those who hadn't gone to bed yet. Some sort of game? No, several games, she reminded herself. One in particular was hide and seek. For some reason the thought made her smile. She remembered running down the hall, searching for a hiding spot when someone caught her wrist. Who was it?

Edmund. It was Edmund, she thought. He pulled her into a side room to hide from who had been seeking them before—

Her eyes flew open as the memories from the previous night flooded back into her mind with an unnatural clarity. Her cheeks grew hot and her body began to tremble.

_Oh shit!_

Though what they had done consisted little more than passionately kissing the dark haired king for an unnamed amount of time into the night, it was still enough to make her fear for her life. In fact, she was quite content if she didn't leave her room for the rest of her life and then a few good hundred years.

Yet the memories also brought a forbidden feeling to rouse deep inside her. A pleasure she would have never dared to venture had she been in a clear state of mind. Feeling herself in his arms, his body against hers was more than exhilarating. It was needed. She didn't know how she could go another night without it, and yet she knew she must.

Then the thoughts of Edmund rolled around. What would he do when he awoke? Was he even awake yet? Was he dreading seeing her again, furious at her actions, or eager to spend another night in her company?

There was a soft knock on the door and Electra quickly dove under her covers, putting her pillow over her head to hide herself from anyone who might have come inside. The sudden movement did little more than make her head throb all the more. Someone would have obviously heard the loud scuffle from outside.

Needless to say the door opened and soft footsteps could be heard coming into the room. There was the cold rush of air that filled the room as someone pulled the sheets off her head.

"You're still in bed?"

Electra peeked out from under her pillow, thankful to hear Lucy's voice and not one of the guards come to steal her away. That was a close one.

"What time is it?" Electra asked, making her voice sound a bit groggy so it would seem as though she just woke up.

"It's practically lunch hour," Lucy replied, sitting down on her bed. "Almost all the guests have left already, and those who haven't are preparing to do so soon. We were worried about you when you didn't show up yet. We thought perhaps someone had attacked you again."

Electra removed the pillow fully from her head and slowly sat up, careful in case her head decided to give another throb.

"I'm sorry," she said carefully. Then she realized: Electra had said we. "Who all was worried about me?" she slowly asked, careful to seem somewhat disinterested though in reality it was quite the contrary.

"Well, I was," Lucy replied stretching her arms out and lying backward on the bed to face the ceiling. "We all were worried. I mean, I've never seen anyone with sleep this long before, even with a hangover. Well, except maybe Edmund." She let out a giggle at her small joke.

Electra laughed with her, though it was more controlled. Her heart skipped a beat slightly at the sound of Edmund's name, but she held it in so Lucy wouldn't see. Then she remembered, Lucy already knew.

"Who won the game last night?" Electra asked carefully.

"Peter," she replied. "Though I say he cheated because his girlfriend was helping him." She paused for a minute before looking over at Electra. "We couldn't find you and Edmund for the longest time. We thought something had happened to you. But when Susan checked you were both already in your rooms asleep."

Electra attempted to shrug it off. "I got tired," she replied slowly. "I guess he did to." She could feel her cheeks going red which wasn't helping because Lucy was still staring at her. She shifted slightly, trying to make herself more comfortable, but with each movement she made it was as though it was just more confirmation that she was guilty about something.

Lucy suddenly sat up, watching Electra with a broad growing grin, who was in turn trying to make herself as innocent as possible.

"What?"

"Were you off doing something with him?" her voice rang out, the tone almost teasing and songlike.

"No," Electra denied much too quickly, confirming that she had in fact been with Edmund.

"Ha!" Lucy exclaimed with a triumphant laugh, her finger pointing guiltily at Electra. She looked as though she was about to jump up and do a happy dance but instead she scooted closer to begin gossiping. Electra was glad she had closed the door on her way in. She knew this interrogation would not go well, especially if someone happened to be passing by.

"Nothing really happened," Electra told her.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Lucy asked her eyes alight. "If nothing happened, you would have said so. But you said nothing _really_ happened. So _something_ must have happened."

"Lucy—"

"You guys didn't..."

"No!" Electra cried, eyes growing wide. "Absolutely not! I would never have gone that far!"

"Then what happened?" Lucy asked, scooting ever closer. It was the sort of gossip Electra expected from Susan, but with Lucy's energy. And it was quickly draining her.

"Nothing, really," she replied, going a bit red. "I just… kissed him." Her insides burst into a whole new degree of embarrassment she didn't even know existed; it was intense enough that she had to look away from Lucy.

Lucy let out a squeal of excitement, shaking with laughter. Electra's head throbbed at the sound of the shrill coming from the young queen and held her ears. It was not a sound she necessarily wanted to hear when she had a headache.

"Sorry!" Lucy quickly apologized, covering her mouth. Her voice was quiet though was still raised a few octaves higher than normal. Well, Electra figured, it was better than that shrill scream. "But, so, are you and Edmund… a thing?" The young queen was bobbing with an excitement and energy Electra didn't know a person could have, even a young child.

"We weren't all there, Lucy," she said. "Or… at least I was a bit intoxicated. It was a stupid thing that I shouldn't have done."

"But—"

"It can't happen," Electra reasoned. "Think about it. I'm a pirate—"

"Who has made amends," Lucy interejected.

Electra continued as though Lucy hadn't interrupted her. "I'm a pirate. Kings don't court pirates. Despite what I may have done to make up for it, my past still remains."

There was a heavy silence that filled the room. Electra could see sadness in Lucy's eyes, and she felt horrible for putting it there. On this subject however, she knew it wouldn't be right to change her mind on this.

"So, what will you do now?" Lucy asked. "You're not going to leave are you?"

"Do you want me to leave?" Electra countered, knowing the answer to this before it was given.

"No! Of course not. Though, I would understand if you did." She paused. "We all would understand, but none of us want you to leave, Electra."

"I'm not really planning on leaving," Electra replied. Then she had a thought. She'd have to tell someone, so why not Lucy? "Can you keep a secret?"

"You mean besides the one about you and Edmund?" she asked with a grin. "Of course."

Electra couldn't help but chuckle slightly. True, Lucy had kept her secret about how she felt toward Edmund, at least as far as Electra knew. But this was something different.

"I can't really travel in the snow," she started, "but once spring comes I'd like permission to leave for a short while. Like a vacation. A couple of my friends are in Telmar and they just had a child. I'd really like to go see her."

"Oh!" Lucy almost squealed again, though kept herself in check and lowered her voice. "That's wonderful! Why don't you invite them here for a visit?"

"They just had the child," Electra explained. "It's premature and really young. It's healthy but still too young to travel."

"Oh," Lucy glanced down at the sheets. Electra could tell she would have been delighted to see a little child, as most girls were completely melty around children. She personally had never been around one long enough to really take into account whether she would want any herself, but the idea of having on almost like a baby sister to her was something she did want to experience. She was used to Damin and Darit, but a sister was something she might have liked to have.

"If you like," Electra suggested, hoping to raise Lucy's spirits, "I can suggest that when the baby's older, they can come visit."

"Oh could you?" Lucy asked, perking up immediately. Electra couldn't help but laugh at this. Lucy was so easily persuaded and perked up.

"It's a promise." A soft knock followed Electra's reply. Both girls looked up at the bedroom door.

"Come in," they both said in perfect unison, which made Lucy giggle.

The door opened and Edmund looked in. The memories of what happened the previous night flooded back into her head, and she did all she could to keep from blushing. Unfortunately it didn't seem like enough.

"Lucy?" Edmund asked, seemingly ignoring Electra which made her heart sink. "I thought I'd find you here. Susan's looking for you."

"Okay," Lucy replied, hopping off the bed and practically skipping over to the door. She gave Electra a small wave and Edmund a smile before hopping out of the door, leaving the two of them alone.

Electra couldn't bring herself to look at him. The shame and embarrassment of how rash she had been combined with the feeling she got by him simply standing there was overwhelming. She took a deep breath, preparing to ask him to leave so she could get dressed. He cut her off though.

"Electra, about last night…"

Electra felt her heart quicken and her eyes immediately tore over to where he stood. Any hope that had sprouted within that second had immediately deteriorated. There was confusion and mixed emotions behind his eyes. She didn't like the look they gave her at all.

"Yes?" she asked. Her voice had a choked volume, and she wondered if he could even hear her. If he didn't, she didn't know how to raise the volume of her voice so he could hear her. It was a bit stuck at the moment.

"What happened…" he began, seemingly lost for words, and looking everywhere but her. Finally he looked her strait in the eye, a gesture that made her flinch backward a bit as though he'd hit her. "It can't happen again. It never did happen."

Electra felt herself choking a bit. Hadn't she been expecting this? But then why did it hurt so much to hear the words? Unsaid there was still hope, she reasoned with herself. Now there was none.

Slowly, as much as she hated to, she nodded, keeping her face emotionless. Showing emotion was weak, something a pirate wasn't. Something she wasn't. Yet somehow he broke every wall she'd put up the first day they had met. Her feelings were crushed but she wouldn't let it show.

"Of course," she said her voice flat. "I apologize, your Majesty. I understand if you wish to remain away from me from now on. It would be a justly punishment."

"I don't want to stay away from you," he replied quickly, perhaps a little too quickly. She looked up at him, confused. "It just… what happened can't happen again. And it's still Edmund."

"I understand," Electra replied, no longer able to look at him and instead staring at the covers she was holding in her hand.

"Good," he replied. For some reason, his tone was finalizing, but didn't sound happy with the result. "Well… I'll see you at lunch."

Electra didn't look back at him as she heard the door close. Tears didn't even fall this time. Instead, her heart began to harden and she felt a new and more secure wall going up. Her heart had broken too much within the past few months, and now she felt herself growing stiff, almost like an empty shell. If she was ever to survive around him, that's what she would have to be: a shell.

Survive, Electra laughed at the thought. If that's what anyone could call it. Instead she felt as though her life was gliding along a plane with no meaning. Her only meaning had just rejected her completely.

But it was what he wanted. He only wanted to be friends. That's what would have made him happy, if they were friends but no more. Somehow, she would have to find a way that she would be able to go on with this knowledge.

She didn't remember changing, or her walk down to the dining hall. It was empty, save for the four kings and queens who were eating, having conversations with one another.

The four shared a strong connection with one another, so strong that Electra felt like the knife that could easily cut that bond if she so wanted or chose to. Unfortunately that part of her that would have done so had all but disappeared completely within the past few months that had passed. Now she felt like a mere intruder.

"Come sit down," Lucy called over to her, waving to an empty seat. Electra couldn't help but smile slightly. The title 'intruder' had been changed to a welcome intruder. Quietly, she went over to the table and sat down, her newly formed wall up so nothing could break her.

It seemed all too easy. The day passed as though nothing had happened, though occasionally Lucy gave her the secretive friend glance, and Edmund seemed to avoid her gaze completely. Nothing happened until that evening.

Lucy had been teaching Electra how to play chess, Queen Susan sitting in the corner working on her sewing. There were shouts coming from outside the open window down at the dock, but they paid little attention to it at first, as it could not be seen clearly from their line of sight.

"Really," Queen Susan said after about five minutes of the ruckus, setting her sampler to the side. "You'd think some people were already trying to sleep. What's gotten into them?"

For the first time Electra stopped and really listened to the sounds, thinking by what Susan said they were partying or some other random assortment of things. When she listened more closely, however, they were anything but. Electra knew those sounds all too well, as she had been the cause of many of them before.

"Electra?" Lucy asked worriedly, for she had good reason to be worried now. Electra's eyes had narrowed as she listened, her body becoming rigid.

"Stay here," she ordered, moving quickly from her chair and out of the door. She could hear Lucy and Queen Susan's shouts from behind her, but they never followed. Electra was thankful for this. She moved her way through the halls and down many flights of stairs, passing many guards on her way. They gave her an odd glance as she was moving so quickly and alarmingly, but none seemed to stop her.

She didn't pause until she had arrived at the front doors of Cair Paravel and pushed them open. From here she could see the dock clearly, and the sight made her eyes grow wide.

A familiar ship was docked and many were getting off it, moving throughout the dock. Those that remained down there cried for help but their yells were quickly silenced. Suddenly something large caught fire, making Electra jump slightly. Newborn yells and shouts could be heard from within the castle, but her eyes remained glued to the sight before her. It seemed familiar, but it could never have happened before.

A movement in the shadows caught her eye and she tore them away from the dock and to the front gate. Her voice caught in her throat as she realized there was a huge mob heading straight for the front gates of Cair Paravel. She could not see their faces in the dark, but she knew if she could, she would have recognized each and every one of them from the crew of the _Nomad_.

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**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who's reading and/or reviewing for this story. The feedback means a lot to me and I'm glad some are enjoying it. I didn't think this many people would ever be interested. :)**

**Sadly, the story is soon coming to a close. There are about 10 chapters plus the epilogue left, which makes me sad, but I'm glad to have written a full Narnia story rather than simply a piece of one. Thanks again, and I'll see you when the next chapter comes up. ;)**

**PhoenixStargirl**


	24. Winter's Wrath

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Winter's Wrath

Electra quickly pulled the doors closed and pushed the wooden lock across them, though she knew it would not hold them for long. Nothing could stop a pirate from getting what they wanted, let alone a mob of them. Even in the dead of winter.

She could hear shouts echoing from the upper floors, but she was sure in the depths of the castle no one knew yet what was going on. That included the kings and queens. She ran at full speed back through the halls, many guards yelling at her to stop. She didn't obey though, and instead simply kept running. Electra didn't stop until she reached the hallway Lucy and Queen Susan were in.

"Lucy!"

Lucy and Queen Susan came running from the room just down the hall. There was a look of urgency on their face at the tone of Electra's voice. She knew the worry in their eyes wasn't helping much either.

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked, fear gripping her. Even Queen Susan, who had seemed to not take some things seriously, looked alarmed.

"You two need to find a way out of here," Electra ordered. "Now. Is there a hidden exit? A back entrance?" There was a small pause as she waited for an answer, but the two seemed frozen. "Anything?!"

"There's a hidden tunnel that leads toward Beruna," Queen Susan quickly replied. "What's going on? Why should we leave?" There was a fear she couldn't hide in her eyes, but unlike Lucy, there was also the small hint of disbelief and annoyance.

"Trust me, you don't want to know," she took another breath, not caring in the slightest at the moment if giving a queen orders was dramatically rude. "Just both of you get to the passageway and head for Beruna."

"What about Peter and Edmund?" Lucy asked. Though she didn't know what was going on, Electra was glad she seemed to trust her. Queen Susan, however, still looked on edge. She could tell the Queen was going to badger her with questions. From experience, however, Electra knew that knowledge wasn't always a good thing, as it sent people into a panic. Plus, she was sure that the Queen wouldn't have believed her and considered the whole thing a hoax and nonsense. Beside that point, she didn't want to frighten Lucy any more than she already was.

"I'll find them," Electra replied, "now go!"

Without waiting to see if they would follow, she ran from the room, searching everywhere she came across for Peter and Edmund. Guards were now hurrying around, finally realizing what was going on.

Electra was thankful all the guests had left. But during their departure, many of the guards and other inhabitants of the castle had left, leaving Cair Paravel neigh on unprotected. After all, who attacked in the dead of winter?

She turned a corner and caught sight of King Peter giving orders to two fauns, and Edmund right behind him.

"Edmund!" she shouted, putting more force into her step. Both brothers turned to look at her, but it was Edmund who approached her first, King Peter giving a final word to the two fauns before quickly following.

"Where are Susan and Lucy?" he asked urgently.

"They were in the southeast sitting room," Electra said, "but I told them to get out. If they followed my word, they should be leaving now. Your sister said there was a tunnel that led to Beruna."

King Peter nodded. "She's right."

"You should go with them, they need you." Without hesitation, King Peter hurried down the hall toward the direction Electra left, no doubt to make sure Lucy and Susan were, in fact, heading out toward the hidden tunnel. Edmund moved to leave as well, but not before grabbing her upper arm. Electra yanked out of his grip.

"Come on," he urged, taking her wrist and attempting to pull her with them.

"Why?" she asked, attempting to pull from his grasp but failing to do so this time. "I'd be much more help holding them off while you and your family escape." She knew there was a chance she didn't survive this, but at the moment she didn't care. She needed Edmund and his family to get to safety.

"Are you crazy?" he asked, his hand gripping her tighter. "I'm not letting you stay here. You're coming with us!" He pulled her down the hall again.

Electra resisted, doing all in her power to free him. "Let me go! If I stay with your family, you'll always be in danger. They'll always be after me! At least here I can try to keep them off."

"I'm not leaving you!" he shouted, letting her go for a split second only to grab hold of her upper arms and shake her furiously.

In the limited light she could see his eyes this close up close. They were filled with an unbroken determination. They were the same mysterious dark eyes that had transfixed her from the start, that she had first fallen in love with. They seemed to be ordering her to not leave him. No, not ordering. Begging.

For a fleeting second she stood transfixed, wanting to follow him, not wanting to be apart from him. But that second soon passed. To be near him was to put him in danger. The pirates had found her twice here. They would follow her around the world until she was caught and killed.

"Edmund!"

The two broke apart for a second as King Peter came running down the hall for his brother. Electra took that moment and sprinted down the hall and away from what would have kept her there.

Edmund's shouts called after her, but as she turned a corner his voice grew softer and more frantic. His brother must have held him there, or begun pulling him in the opposite direction. A tear fell from her eye. It was for the best.

She scrambled through the halls past the few guards who were hurrying to protect the front gate. By now, the pirates surely would have gotten in Something about the scene was familiar. Something odd. For a moment she remembered other frantic members hurrying through stone halls, but in an instant it was gone. Nothing more than a shadow. She shook her head and turned a corner to enter the hallway to her room.

In her room, Electra ran to the bed, pulling her dagger from her side table drawer and sliding it into her belt. She then grabbed the sword she had borrowed from the armory some days back and had forgotten to return before running down the silent halls.

The sound of men trashing the castle met her ears, and she stopped, her breath slowing and becoming shallow and her heart beating faster. She became a mere shadow in the hall, and the windows that lined them darkened as the moon krept behind a group of clouds. There were a small group of them just behind the corner.

Electra held her patience behind the corner until a shadow introduced the first pirate she had come across in at least a month. Holding the dagger tightly in her hand, she spun out into the middle of the hall, allowing the weapon to fly through the air and come in contact with the pirate's neck. He fell to the ground with a sickening choking sound, dead before he hit the floor.

She quickly unsheathed her sword as another pirate came at her, own blade raised. The two clashed metal on metal, ringing throughout the shadowed hall. The clouded moonlight didn't help with her sight. Electra quickly took her free hand and punched the man in the stomach, distracting him before taking her blade and making a swiping motion, taking the man down as well.

Two more pirates were on their way down the hall, but Electra didn't care. She vowed to hold them off as long as she could. She only hoped it would be long enough.

Metal clashed upon metal once again as Electra's sword made contact with her next foe. At that exact moment, the clouds passed away from the moon, allowing the light to shine through the window against both her and the other pirate's face.

"Electra?!"

Electra almost dropped her sword from shock. After all this time, she almost hadn't recognized his face. And now that it was a bit unshaven, it looked even more strange to her.

"Darit?" she asked, lowering her guard slightly, her eyes wide.

She momentarily forgot what she was doing as the two of them held that second, staring at each other as though it had been the first time in years, though only months had passed. Darit's face pulled into the smallest of grins that she hadn't seen in forever. She couldn't help but do the same. It was so good to see his face again. She'd almost forgotten, or lost hope, after their last encounter.

Electra's attention was brought back as the sound of metal came clashing as the second pirate unsheathed his sword. She was caught off guard, and quickly moved to protect herself. She wasn't ready for the power behind the man's blow, and stumbled down, her head colliding with a side table that happened to be in the hall where they were.

Her vision blurred as the pain ran through her head, and she dropped her sword. She pressed her now free hands against where her head had hit the table and felt something warm and wet run off onto them. Taking a few gasping breaths she tried to regain herself before she was killed.

Electra didn't have time, however. She felt a sharp pain seize her upper arms, one of someone grabbing her rather roughly, not caring about her injuries. Electra attempted to fight back, but the pain in her head was keeping her focus out while she felt herself being pulled through the length of the castle.

She didn't know she was outside until the sharp cold breeze stabbed her skin and the sound of crunching snow met her ears. The night was filled with screams, and Electra could only hope that the screams weren't a part of the family she made here at Cair Paravel.

The sound of splashing soon surrounded her, and she knew they'd made it to the docks. Her focus now a little more clear, she attempted to get away, but two pairs of hands she realized were holding her tight. She hadn't noticed until then, but Darit had also carried her away from the castle, and back to the _Nomad_.

"Let me go!" she screamed, regaining some of the pirate fight in her. She knew what fate awaited her if she went back on board. She'd seen it before, after all. The man who'd been tossed out at sea and left to drown. She didn't want to die, not that now she'd found some sort of meaning in her life.

Fear shouldn't have existed in a pirate, a voice inside of her head told her. Fear lives inside humans, and pirates are anything but humane.

She then remembered back to what Edmund had said to her; he didn't think she was a pirate. King Peter didn't think she was a pirate, and neither did Queen Susan or Lucy. A pirate wasn't who she was; it was how she was brought up. She had changed within the past few weeks, hadn't she?

She may have had the skills to fight like one, the occasional longing to be at sea, but it wasn't who she was anymore. The sea was no longer her home. It was a place to be feared. Cair Paravel was her home now.

"Let me go!" she screamed again, struggling harder than ever to get away. Firm hands held her tightly and continued to drag her onto the deck of the _Nomad_.

"Captain," the one that wasn't Darit shouted. "Look what we found."

Electra stood horrified at the sight of the captian. The last time she had seen him, he was practically singing her praises. Now, he looked at her with a malicious greed in his eye. Practically hanging off his shoulder was Trinity. Her pale skin glowed in the moonlight and her raven hair was almost unnaturally strait down her back. She let out a high and haughty laugh.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up to the party," she smiled wickedly and hungrily. Electra knew why she was looking at her in such a way. Her heart began to beat loudly.

"Lock her in the cabin," the Captain ordered before moving back down the deck, Trinity right next to him as though tied to his side.

Electra struggled again as she was pulled into the cabin. Darit whispered something to the other before pulling the door closed, leaving the two of them alone. A silence hung between Darit and Electra. Darit started off the conversation silently by shaking his head.

"Why is this happening?" he whispered to himself.

"Let me go," Electra pleaded from where she stood, her eyes searching for Darit's eagerly, who had his own transfixed on the doorknob.

Darit looked as though he hadn't heard her, his head continuing to shake disbelievingly. "First Alec and Veil," he whispered, "now you."

Electra's heart stopped. "What did you say?" she asked fearfully. Her stomach dropped and she felt as though she were suddenly about to be sick. Please don't let him say what I thought he said, she pleaded to herself.

"We found Alec and Veil," he replied, his voice hard as he finally turned to face Electra. "You know what happened after that."

Electra stood mortified. "No…"

"Don't be naïve," he growled to her in a fierceness she'd forgotten he'd even had. She took a small step back, momentarily terrified. "You know what happens to anyone who's caught after leaving this crew. You're bound for life."

So they had found Alec and Veil. That meant the two of them were dead. It took a moment for Electra to process this.

"What about the child?" she asked in a hurried whisper before she could stop herself.

"Child?" Darit looked at her as though he'd never seen her before. "What child?"

Electra closed her mouth, refusing to elaborate more. If Darit didn't know about the baby, then neither had the crewmen. That meant it was still alive somewhere, probably with Alec and Veil's old tenant. It would live never knowing her parents, but none the less, she would live. She was thankful when he didn't ask to further explain what she meant about the child.

"Let me go," Electra pleaded again.

"I can't," he replied in a cold tone, turning away from her.

"You can't or don't want to?" she asked, her voice suddenly turning as cold as his own.

"I can't," he replied. She could feel the pain in his voice as he said this. "They'll kill me and Damin."

Electra watched him closely. He, Darit, was a pirate, branded, and loyal to his ship. He, who had been her brother for ten years but also assisted in the brutal murder of Alec and Veil. She shook her head, disappointment filling her.

"You're a coward," she replied. "We were never your family."

"Yes you were!" he argued back, he turned to face her once more this time tears in his eyes. "You were always my little sister, Electra."

It was the first time she'd seen him cry, but it did nothing to warm her heart. She shook her head. "What happened to 'no one gets left behind'?"

He had no answer for this, and even if he had, he was cut off as the door opened and Damin entered. Darit turned to face away from the two of them before his brother could see the tears in his eyes. Electra looked up at him, for a second hoping he would bring her good news, but the look on his face told her otherwise.

"You shouldn't have left us, Electra," he said in a hard tone. He stepped into the cabin and closed the door behind him.

She gave him no reply. Her mind was too mesmerized on his words, similar to the ones Edmund had told her not an hour ago. She'd stayed to die in their place, she reminded herself. In his place. Her fear subsided and she no longer attempted to escape, or even look at the two men whom she once considered her brothers. Instead she simply stood where she was, in the middle of the cabin and awaiting her inevitable fate.

* * *

**A/N: So I know I've slowed down quite a bit on posting. Unfortunately I blame exams this week. Though I am hoping once those are finished to pick up the pace once more. Thanks to everyone who's reading and reviewing! Until next time!**


	25. The Great Lion

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

The Great Lion

Waiting was harder than she originally thought it would be. There were some moments when she wished to simply take either Damin or Darit's sword and plunge it deep into her heart. Other seconds she wanted to fight them off and run. Most of them she wasted wondering how long she had left to live.

She didn't bother even looking or speaking to the two of them as she was being held there. They didn't deserve her gaze, and they didn't deserve her wasting her breath on them. She had been afraid the two of them would turn out this way, and here was the result right in front of her. Darit, however had a more innocent presence about him. He acted as he did for the sake of his brother. Damin was just a pure pirate through and through.

The sound of more shouts came to her ears outside the deck, though these made her heart stop. While she knew most of the voices from the crew, these voices were familiar in the sense that they didn't belong there. Electra rushed toward the door, but was stopped as Damin and Darit's arms grabbed hold of her.

"Let me go!" she growled. Electra felt the small portion of her that was still ruthless and fearless fight to break free. But could she even call it that? She was fighting because she knew the voices she had heard were now prisoners aboard the ship, they could be nothing else.

The door suddenly opened as one of the crew members came inside, an evil grin on his face. Damin and Darit pushed Electra through the door and outside. All of the crew was now on the deck watching her, as were King Peter and Edmund. Electra fought to get away from the two tyrants holding her, but they refused to let go. Lucy and Susan were not there. This meant thankfully that they had escaped. Electra didn't want to think about the possible alternatives. They were few, and horrible fates.

"Ah, yes, the traitor," the captain growled with a smile.

Electra suddenly fell to the ground as the two shoved her at the Captain's feet. The feeling of cold metal under her chin caused her to stop from any sudden movements she had been thinking about. It pressed against her chin and she moved upward until she was freely standing. She never lowered her glare of hatred once.

Around her many of the men were already taking the ship out to sea, pulling away from the dock. Electra knew why, but she said nothing.

Behind her she could hear the sound of someone trying to fight off another. She knew it was either Peter or Edmund, and she prayed that they stopped. Them fighting only made things worse.

"Got spirit in you, do you?" Trinity's voice sounded off. Electra only pulled her eyes away from the captain to look at the female pirate. She was gazing at Edmund with a deep hunger in her eyes. "You'll be fun to play with, that's for sure."

Letting out a snarl of rage, and completely forgetting the sword at her throat, Electra lunged at Trinity, her hands clawing at her hair and grabbing her neck. Trinity let out a shriek and the two women went toppling to the ground. It took both Damin and Darit to pull Electra from him. Trinity stood back up, glaring back at Electra with the upmost loathing, her cheek bleeding from Electra's nails slashing across her face.

A sharp pain hit her on the side of the head, and she fell to the cabin floor. Her head hit the solid wood, forcing everything to go black.

* * *

Electra blinked. The hard wood of the floor wasn't underneath her head anymore, but the soft sand. Slowly she looked up and around her. She was on the shoreline outside Cair Paravel. It was twilight, and the sky was cloudless. The air was no longer bitter and cold, but warm and welcoming. The stars twinkled and danced above her head from the heavens.

"A beautiful night, isn't it?" a voice asked from beside her.

Electra turned her head, for the first time noticing she wasn't alone. The body of a great lion sat on the beach next to her, watching the space where the sea's horizon met the star-filled sky.

"Aslan," she breathed.

Aslan smiled, though didn't pull his eyes away from the horizon. Similarly, Electra couldn't seem to pull her eyes from him. There was something stirring within them, something she couldn't seem to read no matter how hard she tried.

"Do you know what lies beyond the horizon?" Aslan asked her. Electra shook her head, prompting him to go on. "It's my country, the country of my Father. It's a beautiful world that I hope many can venture to see one day."

Electra took in his words, wondering why he was telling her this. "Am I dead?"

Aslan let out a soft chuckle standing up before turning to face her. "No," he replied. "you're not. Nor will death befall you this evening."

"Then where am I?" she asked. "Am I dreaming?"

The golden eyes of the lion sparkled mysteriously, almost in the same way she'd seen Edmund's eyes sparkle before. She couldn't help but smile back, though she was still completely confused.

"There is something I must ask of you," Aslan said, turning away to walk up the beach. Electra quickly stood to follow him. She'd never felt safer in the world than she felt with Aslan. And now more than ever she felt the need to be safe.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You must understand," he continued, "it is difficult for me to do this. To ask you to make a choice. One of the most difficult choices you will ever make in your life."

Electra watched him closely. "What is it?" she asked him again.

Aslan's eyes were no longer bright and mysterious, but sad, almost in pain. "I created this world, Electra. I brought the Sons of Adam, Peter and Edmund, and the daughters of Eve, Susan and Lucy, to this world. To save it, make it better than it once was. But not to last for only four years. If this ends, Narnia will be shrouded into darkness." He looked up at Electra with sad eyes. "I don't want my people to suffer."

"Lucy and Susan are safe, aren't they?" Electra asked worriedly.

Aslan nodded. "For now. But without their brother's protection it won't last. The Daughters of Eve are strong and brave, but they need their brothers. If anything happened to them, they would die of a broken heart."

Electra felt the pain that Aslan was revealing to her. If anything happened to her new family, Susan, Peter or Lucy… if anything happened to Edmund…

"What must I do?" she asked.

"Do you know the story of the stone table?" he asked.

Electra nodded. Lucy had told her once before, and she remembered her words. Lucy and Susan had followed Aslan to the stone table where he had given himself up in Edmund's place to, save him. He had then risen the next morning. It was a story that lightened Electra's heart and made her want to be brave. It was then she realized what Aslan asked of her. He wanted her to chose death over life. He wanted her to die to save the two Kings. The thought tore at her. She was only in her mid teens; she didn't want to die.

She then thought of Edmund. Him dying would be beyond unbearable. She wouldn't let such a fate befall him.

"If I must die to save them," she said much braver than she felt, "then so be it."

Aslan shook his head stopping in his steps. "As I said before, death will not come to you on this night. I will keep you protected. But I ask you to chose, not the easier path, but the right path. The harder path. I need your help in keeping Narnia safe."

Electra couldn't help but smile at his words. Though she would have gladly taken Edmund's place as Aslan had, taking in the idea that she wouldn't have to die was relieving. "I'll do what I can," she promised.

A sharp light caught her attention above her. Thousands of falling stars shot against the sky, illuminating the mirror-like ocean below. She turned back to Aslan, who had positioned himself in front of her.

"I will keep you safe," he promised one last time. He then opened his mouth and let out a soft breath on Electra. The feeling warmed her inside, relaxing her muscles. Electra couldn't help but smile, feeling as though she'd arrived at the most peaceful place in her life.

She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. The air she sucked in had suddenly turned cold and the sound of the tide on the shore had suddenly disappeared, as had the presence of Aslan.

* * *

When she opened her eyes the first thing she noticed was the intense pain in her head as well of the small trickling of blood down her temple. It took her a minute to regain her surroundings. Edmund seemed to be struggling harder than ever. Two rough hands pulled her back to her feet. How much time had passed since she blacked out?

The sound of ripping met her ears. It took her a moment to realize that someone had run a knife down the length of her dress and was ripping it from her body, leaving her only in her undergarments. The cold air stabbed at her skin, and she was too caught up in the moment to be embarrassed with herself.

"Put the cat in the water," she growled. "She's not safe enough to be allowed back on the crew."

Electra stopped struggling and allowed the words to sink in. Was she being given another chance with them? They weren't about to condemn her to what they had done to the others? She glanced over at the two imprisoned kings before turning back to the Captain, Tritan.

"Where do your loyalties lie?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Electra watched him closely, her mind racing at a mile a minute. If she stayed, she'd live. But for what? Being a pirate meant nothing to her anymore. Closing her eyes she allowed her body to relax. After a moment she opened them again and stared right at the captain.

"Long live the Kings and Queens of Narnia," she said softly. "And long live Aslan."

The captain's smirk lowered to a frown before it turned into a growl. This was not the answer he had been expecting. Had this been what Damin and Darit went through before they decided to stay? Had Alec and Veil been given the same choice as her before their demise? She didn't care.

"Electra," a voice whispered behind her.

She didn't pay attention. She knew whoever it was didn't want her to die. It was the voice of someone urging her to rethink her response. Instead she yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Long live King Peter! Long live Queen Susan!" Rage filled the captains face until it turned a dangerous shade of maroon. She did not stop though, as she knew what she was condemning herself with. "Long live King Edmund! Long live Queen Lucy! Long live Asla-"

The force of a fist coming in contact with her face caught her before she could finish her cry forced her back to the deck floor. Only this time she didn't black out. She felt herself being pulled back to her feet and heavy metal chains wrap loosely around her.

"Let her go!" she heard Edmund shouting, but she knew it was of no use.

"Shut up," Trinity snarled, watching Electra with a satisfied gleam in her eye.

"Do anything to harm her, and it will be the end of you," Peter's sharp voice rang through the bitter air.

"Like you really have any say about it," another pirate spat.

Electra felt herself being dragged to the side of the ship dock. The ship wasn't completely far from shore, but it was far enough away that help was beyond reach. Electra didn't bother struggling, she knew it was useless.

"Any last words?" Tritan growled holding her by the scruff of the neck.

Electra said nothing. Instead her eyes focused away from him and toward the dark haired king. His eyes were watching in horror, he shook his head barely from side to side. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked at him, trying to tell him everything was going to be okay.

With an annoyed huff the captain pushed her, forcing her over the side of the edge. The added weight of the chains increased the momentum of her fall, but it seemed she hung in the air suspended as the wind whipped around her. Her eyes closed, forcing herself let Edmund be the last thing that she saw before the icy ocean overcame her. Her heart stayed with Aslan, trusting every word he had told her.

She was oblivious to any noise that had been made, or words spoken after her fall. The silence was only cut by the sound of the waves crashing against her ears as she plummeted into the dark abyss. The water was so cold it hurt, and Electra felt the need to scream as she saw red. Already her lungs felt they were going to burst from lack of oxygen.

The weight of the chains dragged her down, but it was more than that. They were sliding from around her. Someone had locked the chains too loosely. Feeling a sudden rush of adrenaline, she kicked her feet upward as best as she could, thrashing around. It wasn't long before the chains wiggled free and Electra was kicking hard toward the surface.

Her face broke the water and she took a sharp breath, gasping for air. It was as though she were breathing for the first time. The cold night air bit at her skin where her head poked from out of the water. The ship had moved several dozen feet, but not far enough. Her hands reached for one of the ropes that was still there, and she pulled herself up onto the ship. An odd tingling was surrounding her skin.

Using the rope, she pulled herself upward and out of the water. She knew she should have been frozen by now, her hair was plastered to her face soon forming frost and her breath was shaking. It was odd, but something kept her going. She wasn't cold anymore, but warm. Was this the effect from Aslan breathing on her?

Electra climbed as far as a side port hole and clambered inside. She was surprised no one had caught sight of her by this time. Electra pulled herself into the brig of the ship, shivering slightly. She knew she didn't have much time. Moving quickly, she went up a single flight of stairs and into the crew sleeping quarters. There she pulled on a shirt and a spare skirt before grabbing hers sword. It was still here after all this time.

Electra knew she would have to be quick if anything she could do was going to work. Taking the back ladder, she ascended to the upper decks. Luckily the hole to the top was surrounded by a back cabin, so no one saw her approach. There was one guard in her way, and she quickly silenced him with a slice to his throat.

This room led to the back deck, which thankfully was completely abandoned. Moving silently along the side of the room that was attached to the captain's cabin, she stopped just out of view of anyone. Electra was thankful to see that nothing harmful had been done to the kings yet. Moving back around to the back of the deck again, she climbed the last flight of stairs.

Three men were standing there, one at the wheel and the other two watching below. With the stealth of a pirate, Electra moved up behind the one at the wheel, immediately gutting him with her sword. The sound made the other two pirates turn.

"Hey!" one shouted, unsheathing his weapon.

Electra the other had been too surprised to see her to draw his sword yet. She quickly gutted him before he had time to react before turning to block the one who had shouted. He was dead, however, in a matter of seconds, and Electra moved to the edge to face the main deck. All eyes had fallen upon her. The ones she sought out, however, was the captain's and they were full of fire.


	26. Retribution

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Retribution

Electra moved to the edge of the upper deck and allowed gravity to take effect. She landed with a loud thud against the hard wood, her wet hair smacking hard against her skin as it rebounded. Everyone on the deck was paralyzed with a stunned silence.

Electra stood up strait. After the initial shock a few things happened at once: Both Kings, mostly Edmund, attempted to get to her. Many of the pirates quickly drew out a few of their swords.

"Don't anyone touch her!"

Everyone aboard suddenly stopped and turned toward the speaker, Tritan. He had an evil grin on his face, one that Electra had seen many a time from other pirates. He wore a smile of enjoyment, as he pulled out his own sword.

"She's mine," he said, taking his stance and facing her with the same expression.

Electra'a heels softly clicked against the wood as she moved across the deck, her eyes dead on the captain. Her sword made a foreboding scraping sound against the wood. She didn't lift it up until she was within ten feet of the captain. With as much strength as she could muster, she swung her sword around in a deadly arc at the captain.

Tritan didn't move until she was upon him. Electra used her momentum and swung again, and this time metal crashed against metal. She fought against loosing her balance, moving away from the captain before striking at him again. To Electra, each strike was one that severed the threads of her past that connected her in any way with these fiends.

The captain was not unskilled. On the contrary, he was the best she'd ever fought. She knew this because she was beating him back with all she had in her while he didn't even seem to be concentrating at all. The only difference was, he was temporarily toying with her, while she was fighting for her life.

Once, she was able to push her blade past his defenses. The sword ripped through his shirt sleeve and severely damaged his upper left air. He instantly retaliated by taking the hilt of his weapon and smashing it across her face, sending her smashing into the main mast. She had to take a moment to regain herself, and within that moment she realized two things. The first was that because it was his left arm that had been mildly injured, he could still fight. And second, the minor damage she had done would only enrage him and make him fight with all he had.

He lunged forward in an attack again, this time with a new determination: to kill. She was able to duck out of the way and stand up behind him in a single movement. He grabbed the back of his head and smashed it into the wooden pole.

He let out an angry growl as his forehead collided with the mast. Electra took the time she had and swung her sword in another deadly arc. It wasn't enough time though. In an instant, he spun around, catching her sword with his before shoving her backward hard.

Electra was sent toppling into several unsteady crates that had been brought aboard from Cair Paravel. They toppled over, and Electra could hear the screaming of someone as she attempted to regain herself. Many of the heavier objects on the top came crashing down, splintering several crates until they were nothing more than broken pieces of wood jutting sharply upward.

The captain moved past the debris and pulled her up from the ground. Electra didn't have enough time to pick her sword up that had fallen from her hand next to her until she was thrown to the ground once more in front of her peers. The captain loomed over her, sword pointed directly at her throat.

"Any last words?" Tritan growled with a devilish gleam in his eyes.

"Yeah," Electra snarled, glowering just loathingly. "Say hello to Jadis for me."

With one swift motion of her feet, she caught the side of his ankle, sending him crashing backward to the ground. The wooden spoke that had been damaged earlier drove through his stomach. He let out a wrenched scream that filled the night air. Slowly, Electra rose to her feet to finish the job. She picked up the captain's sword that had fallen to the ground and moved over to his head. She raised the sword and took it off in one swift motion.

Electra stood over the bloodied and mangled body for a minute before her knees gave way. She fell to the ground with a thud, completely exhausted and for the first time really noticing how cold it was; Aslan's extra strength he had given her was beginning to swiftly fade.. No one moved. No one spoke. The only sound was the heavy breathing from Electra as she did what she could to regain her breath.

The sound of footsteps met her ears and she attempted to regain control of the sword in her hand. She didn't have the strength to raise it though.

"Are you alright?"

The sound of Edmund's concerned voice eased what fears she had about someone attacking her for killing the captain. On the contrary, all of the crewmates were paralyzed, save for one.

Trinity was holding a sword tightly and was shaking in fury. "You double crossing-conniving-"

"Shut your mouth, Trinity," Darit's voice shouted. Electra glanced up to see him holding her back with a knife to her throat. All of the other pirates seemed to be uneasy as well. No one else moved, and Electra knew this was because they were lost without a captain. Who would protect them now? If they killed the two kings and Electra, there was nothing left for them.

More shouts met her ears, and she realized another ship was approaching this one. The guards had quickly gathered what forces had survived the attack and come after the Kings. The three of them were safe.

Electra felt a bit hazy when moved over to the opposite boat. She heard Peter issuing orders to the guards to arrest all of those aboard the pirate ship. Electra pretty much knew their fate, and didn't feel a mite of sympathy for any one of them.

Edmund led her into the cabin, laying her on the decorated couch that happened to be on the side before lying her down. It was then she noticed she was really shivering. Electra watched as he hurried over to one of the trunks, pulling out several articles of clothing as well as blankets. He placed them next to her.

"Here," he said. "You'll catch your death if you stay in your wet things any longer. You can see the water soaking through your shirt and you're hair is practically frozen."

Electra looked up at him incredulously. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he retorted.

"No offense, Edmund," she said with a smart tone, attempting to keep herself from blushing. "I really don't think you want to watch me change."

She watched as his cheeks turned a delicate shade of red. He didn't say anything, but simply walked from the cabin, closing the door behind him. She was grateful he hadn't said anything, for if he had, she wasn't sure what her response would be.

Electra half expected him to walk back in while she was changing as a challenge against her word. She knew he wouldn't however, as he was too noble and well brought up for that. Once dry, save for her hair, Electra curled back up on the couch beneath her blanket and was soon fast asleep.

She didn't re-awaken for a while, though the precise time was unknown. All she knew that it was light out. Someone had brought her back to her own bed. Electra sat up slightly before shivering and ducking back under her covers. It took a moment for her to realize she was feeling a bit woozy. Her nose was slightly stuffed and she felt both uncomfortably exhausted and still cold. Not to mention, she was feeling as though she was having a bit of a hangover.

Raising her head just high enough so that her eyes were just above her cover line, she glanced groggily around her room. It was just as she had left it earlier the previous morning, except in the corner near her bed an armchair had been pulled into it, and on it slept Edmund. From his position he had to have been quite uncomfortable, and the chances of him waking up with some portion of his body sore were high.

As though sensing she was awake, he opened his eyes, taking a moment to take in his surroundings before turning to Electra.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, sitting upright and obviously worried.

"Could be better," she answered truthfully, her voice scratching a bit as she sat up more. "What time is it?"

"About midday," he replied. "I was afraid you were going to get hypothermia… especially after being in that freezing water. How did you get through it all without freezing?"

"Long story," she mumbled, nuzzling farther into the covers. Part of her wanted to share the story with Edmund. She knew he'd met Aslan in person and would understand what she meant. But another part of her wanted to keep it to herself.

He looked as though he wanted to inquire about it, but she cut him off before he could.

"Where are your sisters?" she asked.

"Word has it they took sanctuary in Beruna. They were heading west away from the pirates. A search has been out to find them."

"And your brother? Is he alright?"

"He's fine," Edmund replied with a small smile. "Fixing some problems down at the dock. One of the pirates somehow escaped, that woman and maybe one or two others. The rest we still have in custody."

Trinity. Electra closed her eyes. As long as at least one of them was out, there would be trouble. She was probably the worst; being a woman demanded respect and being a ruthless and dedicated pirate was even worse. Trinity's affairs with Cair Paravel would not soon be over, Electra knew. She would bide her time, even if that was years, before renewing her attack.

"You saved our lives," Edmund whispered. Electra turned to face him, feeling her cheeks burn slightly at the thought. She quickly focused her attention back on the blankets that she was now ringing in her hands in them.

"Don't mention it," she whispered, unable to look back up at him.

She felt the weight of her bed shift and she was unable to help glancing up. Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed Edmund had moved closer to her before placing his hand atop hers.

"You deserve more than you give yourself credit for," he responded with a sincere look.

Electra watched him, feeling as though her heart were going to pound out of her chest. She felt she needed to respond, but no words would come. Instead her body lurched forward and she pulled her hands away to cover a large sneeze.

Edmund couldn't help but laugh. "We gave you some fire flower juice," he told her, sitting back over in his armchair. "Unfortunately that only helped with your minor wounds and some of the minor frostbite you received after being in that water. It won't cure illness, so I'm afraid you'll be stuck in bed until it's gone."

"And are you going to guard me to make sure I don't do anything rash?" she asked, only half sarcastically.

"I might just have to," he teased back. "You see, when people other than myself get confined to their rooms, it's my pleasure to make sure they stay there until otherwise notified. Especially Peter."

"So I take it, this as some sort of punishment?" Electra raised her eyebrow.

"Consider it a perk because I'm here," Edmund replied with a smile.

Electra couldn't help but laugh at this joke, let alone be happy he was staying with her. Her laughter was short lived, however, as a sudden sneeze erupted from her once more. Sighing, she flopped back down on her bed, closing her eyes and letting out a soft moan.

"Are you alright?" Edmund asked her, a bit more concerned now.

"I just have a little bit of a headache, is all," she explained, pulling the covers up farther to her neck. She suddenly realized Edmund was here while she was in bed, in her nightgown. Feeling a bit self conscious, she pulled the covers a bit farther up.

"Okay, I'll silence myself," he replied, pulling up a book that was lying next to his chair and opening it to a marked page.

Electra couldn't help but watch him curiously. Was he really going to stay with her the entire time until she was better? She was somewhat doubtful but a deeper part of her really wished he would stay that long. Perhaps she could pretend to be sick a little longer if it meant spending more time with him.

She quickly chastised herself for thinking of something so selfish and closed her eyes, pretending to fall asleep. She didn't actually think she would fall asleep so quickly, but within minutes she was dreaming once again.

When she awoke again, the sun was still shining brightly through her bedroom window. Glancing around, she noticed this time the room was completely empty; the chair was still in the corner, but there was no Edmund to occupy it. Instead, she heard voices in the hall. If she strained she could barely make out what they were saying.

"But he helped, didn't he?" Lucy's voice wandered. "Shouldn't he be given a second chance."

"He wasn't giving us a second chance when he tied up Electra to those chains," Edmund replied in a voice of stone. "He almost killed her."

"But the chains came off in the water," Lucy argued. "You said the chains came off in the water. He must have meant for her to escape."

"She would have never survived in those icy waters even if he meant for her to escape," Edmund replied sternly, his voice even more stiff than before. "How she survived is beyond me. I'm just glad she seems to be recovering."

There was a small pause before Lucy spoke again. "When was the last time she was awake?"

"Yesterday afternoon," Edmund replied. "She was out of it for about two days before then."

Electra was now listening just inside of the ajar door, having gotten up to listen to their conversation better. When they had mentioned the man in the chains she had pushed the covers off her bed, pulled on her dressing robe and gotten up. She knew they were talking about either Damin or Darit. After a moment she pushed the door open.

"I'm just glad—" Lucy stopped in mid-sentence as Electra came into view. "Electra, you're awake."

Edmund turned and gave Electra a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Is he still here?" Electra asked, completely dismissing Edmund's question.

The two watched her silently, watching her. Lucy looked somewhat amazed that Electra looked so well after the story she had just been told. Electra was glad to have seen her safe, but her mind was not to be easily swaded.

"He's in the dungeons," Edmund replied with a nod.

Electra nodded, "What's his name?"

"He says his name is Darit," Edmund replied. "He's the only one left in the dungeons. The others were already put on trial and taken care of. He was the sole one left able for appeal."

"What will his sentence likely be?" Electra asked.

"Exile," Edmund replied. "At the least."

Electra nodded once again. "I want to speak with him."

Edmund looked as though he wished to object, but said nothing. Without waiting for an approval, she moved down the hall and to the dungeons.

They were empty, save for one man in the middle cell. He was sitting down on the bench with his head in his hands, only looking up at his visitor when he heard her footsteps.

"They killed Damin," he said, turning away from Electra as he did so, his voice full of regret.

Electra felt herself go slightly sick at the sight of him. Sure he felt regret because he was captured. But was he really sorry? He'd had so many opportunities to go back on his actions up until the point they were taken to the ship but he'd refused to do so for the sake of his brother. A heavy silence parted them more than the bars from the cell did.

"I'm not going to forgive you for what you did," Electra finally broke the silence.

"I never asked you to," Darit replied. "I know I've done wrong by you and I know there's nothing I can do to make it up. I'm prepared for the consequences."

Electra shook her head in disgust. "Of course you are," she said, her voice cracking slightly. "You feel the guilt, don't you? Darit, you knew the right path all along. You could have walked away with a shred of dignity when you had the chance, and there were many of those." Tears welled her eyes and she didn't stop them from splashing down her cheeks. "You were my brother, Darit. I loved you."

"I'm sorry I helped kill our family," he apologized.

"No, you're not," she said. "Or you would have turned back before it was too late. You may have loosened my chains but you still helped throw me into that icy water and to my death. You're not my family anymore. Those of Cair Paravel are my family. They protect me."

"I hoped you'd get out, and you did—"

"To hell with that!" she screamed, slamming her hands onto the bars as her cheeks were stained. "To hell with hoping I'd get out. You knew it was in the dead of winter, and even without the chains the chances of surviving that freezing water was slim to none! What happened to nobody gets left behind?"

"But you didn't die," he stated.

"Dumb luck," she hissed back in disgust. Electra took a moment to regain herself before speaking again. "Your best chance is exile from Narnia, and from the Lone Islands. But if I ever see you anywhere again, I want to make myself perfectly clear. I don't know you. I never did. You were never my brother. You were never a part of my life, and I want to keep it that way." He looked back up at her, and she saw the hurt in his eyes.

"You've changed, Electra," he said. "You're not a pirate, despite all the history you've had with them. You never let your mind submit true piracy."

"I wouldn't say that completely," she snarled. "If I had my way right now, I throw you into the ocean and see how you would suffice."

A small smile crossed his lips. "I'm proud of you, Electra. You're stronger than I ever could be."

Electra watched the man before her, placing his head back into his hands. A small part of her wanted to forgive him, but it wasn't strong enough to overcome the larger overwhelming half that wished nothing more than to throw him into the ocean. Without another word she turned her back on him. She left, shutting the door and everything from her past inside the dungeon along with him.

* * *

**A/N: Exams are almost over, which means the chapters should be coming a little quicker now. Thanks again to everyone who's reading!**


	27. Silver Festives

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Silver Festives

Electra learned that the next morning Darit was thrown into exile. Where exactly he had gone, she didn't know, nor did she care. There was a small portion of her that still considered him her brother, but mostly that part of her had disappeared. She refused to let herself think of him any more than she had to.

Snow was beginning to melt and the days grew longer and warmer. The time for the Archenland Silver Festives Tournament had come. Electra had originally planned to stay behind, considering her history with Archenland, but Lucy and Susan, as she was now insisting on being called now that all of her brothers and sister told Electra to call them by their first names, had insisted too much on her attendance as well. Even Peter and Edmund were going to Archenland due to the problem with the pirates was more or less solved. Orieus was to watch over the castle in their absence.

Both of the main events were to be held indoors—the sword fighting and archery tournaments. Susan was participating in the archery while Peter and Edmund were to compete in the sword fighting. In the time before they left, both of the Kings had inquired Electra to watch and modify their techniques.

The day before their departure to Archenland, Cair Paravel received a surprise visit from Lady Crystalline. Much to Electra's displeasure, it seemed she too would be traveling south with them to Archenland for the weeklong tournament and then staying at Cair Paravel for some time following their return. Electra couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something she just didn't like about the woman. She claimed to have heard about the pirate raid and wished to make sure the High King and his siblings were well.

She'd expressed her concern to Edmund, whom she spent much of her time with simply walking the halls of the castle. Though she was under much more self control around him, the mysterious enchantment about him never fully went away. His latest theory about her reason for feeling insecure about this Crystalline had sent her into an incredulous and slightly irritated state.

"I am not jealous of that woman!" cried Electra, stopping in her step and staring at Edmund in defiance.

"You sure?" he asked, a small triumphant smirk playing on his lips. "Because the tone of your voice would suggest otherwise.

"Why would I be jealous of her?" she asked, slightly disgusted at the thought. "Sure she's pretty and she has a title, and yes, many women would kill for the attention of the High King—"

"And you're not the least jealous?" he raised his eyebrows.

"You're deviating from my point," growled Electra, feeling a bit of resentment. Sure, she was jealous, a little bit, but she wasn't about to give Edmund the satisfaction of knowing he was right.

He smirked, catching the look in her eye.

"Alright, Mr. Perfect," she retorted folding her arms and looking right at him. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you jealous?"

He hesitated. "Why would I be jealous of Peter?"

"You brought up the jealousy subject."

Edmund kept quiet for a moment before taking a few steps down the hall, Electra following with her eyes on him like a hawk.

"Peter has a right to do as he sees fit when it comes to Lady Crystalline," he replied gravely after several long moments. "I won't have any say in his love life."

Electra couldn't help but smirk. "So you are jealous." He turned to her and her smile quickly faded. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't pry."

Edmund nodded before the two continued on down the hall. Electra couldn't help but ponder over the recent conversation. If Edmund wasn't jealous, that was all the more indication that he didn't feel the same way about her as she did him. But if he was even the slightest bit jealous…

"So you're not the least bit jealous?"

"Electra," he said sternly, grabbing her by the upper arm and turning her to face him. He didn't look angry or annoyed, simply determined to make himself understood. Electra watched his eyes closely, waiting for a small flicker that would betray him.

"Electra," repeated Edmund determinedly, "I am not jealous."

There it was.

Electra couldn't help but smile in spite of herself before it turned into a laugh. Edmund let her go and looked hard at her. "You don't believe me."

"Not when you're lying," she replied, pulling her laughter under control.

Shaking his head, he started back down the hall alone. Electra hurried to catch up with him once again.

Alright, look," she said with a sigh. "Maybe I am a little jealous because the woman is good enough to court a king—"

Edmund suddenly stopped in his tracks, and similarly Electra felt her heart cease to beat before beginning up once again at a faster pace. She felt her eyes grow wide and her cheeks turn bright red. She thanked Aslan that Edmund seemed to be too frozen in shock to move, or turn around and look at her. But the damage was done: now he knew.

A second later she realized motion in her feet had returned and carried her far from the hall they both stood and back into her own bedchamber. She pulled the door shut, pressing her back against it. Now, more than before, she dreaded the next day. Not in fear of facing Lady Crystalline, but in fear of facing Edmund.

* * *

"Is something wrong, Electra?"

Electra pulled her attention away from what she had been doing and turned to Lucy, who had been addressing her.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. What did you say?"

"I asked if you were alright."

"Yeah," she replied. "Everything's fine. I was just thinking."

Electra was only half telling the truth. She was, in fact, thinking, but things were far from 'fine.' The entire journey to Archenland had been extremely uncomfortable. Due to Crystalline's arrival, Peter and her took one carriage while the rest of them shared a second carriage. While Susan and Lucy talked practically the entire way to Archenland, both Edmund and Electra had sat completely silent on opposite ends of the carriage starring off into their own respective windows so they wouldn't have to look or speak to one another. How Lucy and Susan didn't feel the tension that filled the air during their journey was beyond her.

Upon their arrival, there had been a nasty encounter with her old watcher. Everything was quickly smoothed over and Electra was taken to her room. It didn't help matters that whenever she passed one of the servants of Anvard they gave her a confused look. Especially Ashen. He was the only one she took the time to explain everything to because he had been the closest thing she had to a friend here.

That was the previous day. Now she was sitting with Lucy and Lady Crystalline in one of the sitting rooms having tea. All three of Lucy's siblings were busy with preparing for the tournaments that would be held the following day.

"Dear Lucy," Lady Crystalline called Lucy's attention. "If Electra doesn't wish to have her thoughts interrupted, then we certainly shouldn't do so. Personally, I believe it rude that she even place her company upon us if she wishes to keep her mind elsewhere."

Electra spun her head so she could see Lady Crystalline's face. Though her expression was innocent enough, Electra could see the twinkle in her eye that said one thing. She didn't like Electra in the slightest. She may not have known why, but Electra could see it clearly there nonetheless.

"She was invited," Lucy replied with a smile. "She's our friend. We want her here."

"I apologize," Lady Crystalline replied with a kind smile to Lucy. "I simply think it rude that if she were invited she should ignore you in such a way."

Lucy opened her mouth to say something else, but was quickly stopped when Electra suddenly stood up.

"Excuse me for my rudeness, then," she said, growling slightly. "I'll just be on my way." Without a word, she turned and left the room. Lucy didn't call after her, probably because she was quickly engaged into another conversation with the repulsive woman. Electra internally cursed her with every word she knew that was foul or rude, which took quite a while.

Electra stayed in her room until the evening, when she was fetched by Lucy to come down for the evening dinner and dancing. Electra didn't really feel like joining them, but she didn't want Lucy to feel bad about her not coming either. So, despite her better judgment, she followed her down into the throne room.

The large room was decorated with silver as a celebration for the arrival of spring to soon come. Everything went as smoothly as it could have. For the first time in the past few days, she felt like she belonged once again.

After dinner many of the guests stood to dance to the beautiful orchestra that had been playing in the background. More than once Electra had been asked, though not by her first choice. She willingly agreed however, deciding she might as well have fun while she was here. Well into the evening, many went to bed, once again leaving most of those with court status and Electra to head to a smaller room to sit and chat idly.

Electra moved to follow Lucy into the room, but was quickly stopped by a hand on her upper arm. She turned to see Lady Crystalline holding her back.

"Is there something you wanted?" Electra asked as politely as she could.

"This room is for members of court status only," she said with a malicious glint in her eye. "So unless you're some princess in another world, I suggest you leave the gossiping to those who have the qualifications."

"I was invited-" Electra started, but she was quickly cut off.

"I don't care if you were invited," Lady Crystalline sneered. "The Kings and Queens of Narnia, as I understand, were not brought up to royal protocol, so their views might be slightly under normal status."

"If Peter knew the real you, I'm sure he'd keep you in his court," Electra growled sarcastically.

Lady Crystalline tightened her grip on Electra's upper arm. Though it was a discomfort, she didn't wince or show it. "You're a pirate," she said. "A low-low life. You were born one and always will be. Nothing can change that. You'll always be nothing."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was looking in a mirror."

Lady Crystalline pulled Electra farther away from the door before smacking her full across the face. Though Electra had the impulse to break the woman's neck, she didn't act upon it even if she deserved it.

"If I were you," she growled, "I'd pay more respect to a possible future Queen of Narnia. You'll be extremely lucky if I don't have Peter hang you as our wedding present. Once a pirate, always a pirate. I know you can't be trusted."

With a small smirk, she let go of Electra and moved into the room, immediately going over and sitting next to Peter before her eyes fell upon Electra, as though daring her to come in. Electra glanced over the others in the room, who were all laughing and having a wonderful time. Then her eyes fell upon Lucy, sitting on one of the green squishy couches. Lucy turned to her and scooted over, waving for Electra to come sit next to her.

Electra didn't move. Instead she watched Lucy for another moment, her smile fading, before her eyes fell on Edmund. He had been right; she was extremely jealous of Lady Crystalline now. Without a word, she turned away from the room and headed upstairs and to bed.

Once inside her guest room, she closed the door, moving slowly through the darkened space. Her mind was a blur as she sat on her bed, lying down without even pulling the silk sheets overtop of her. Electra felt a choking feeling rising up from her, but she did her best to hold it back.

"Electra?"

Someone was in her room, and he being there after avoiding her wasn't helping in the slightest at the moment. She closed her eyes tightly, tears beginning to form before she opened them again, not speaking a word. Her door closed and for a moment she thought he left, leaving her feeling more alone than she'd ever felt. His footsteps echoed in her room and the bed shifted as he sat down next to her.

"Electra, tell me what's wrong."

Electra didn't voice her opinions, instead she moved over to him, hugging him around the middle and resting her head on his chest. Only this time she didn't hold back. She allowed her tears to fall.

It was the first time she let her true humanity show to anyone. Nothing anyone had said, none of the gossip from those in Cair Paravel, or even here had compared to what Lady Crystalline had said. Somehow, she made everything seem so much worse.

Electra was a good person; in her heart she knew it. Despite the conditions she had grown up in, somehow she had grown up and ended up choosing the right path. She had done wrong, and admitted it, and in the end mended her ways. She cared about others and she didn't care about anything except the heart and soul of the person.

Lady Crystalline, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. She had everything thrown at her feet, grew up with money, a title, anything anyone could ask for. And anyone less than her wasn't worth her or anyone close to her's time. Just as she had said, Electra could have died and she wouldn't have batted an eye.

What hurt Electra most was that no one else would see her mask because she didn't want them to see it. Electra could have exposed her all too quickly, but then the questions aroused. Would the Kings and Queens believe her? If not, what would happen to her? Electra had nowhere to go and no family to turn to. And the idea that someone as foul as Lady Crystalline could and would kick her out of the castle at her earliest convenience was oddly and terribly terrifying. She could fight to the death against a pirate. But when she could lose her home in Cair Paravel, she was utterly frightened.

She continued to cry, and Edmund said nothing. He simply held onto her comfortingly, allowing her to weep as she needed to, staying silent and there for as long as she needed his presence. Electra didn't know how long he stayed with her, but it was beyond the time it took for her to fall asleep. Although she woke up alone, unable to thank him, somehow she knew that he knew she was grateful.

The next day passed in a blur with the two tournaments. As predicted, Susan came in first in the archery tournament while Peter ranked in the top four in the sparring tournament. Edmund hadn't been far behind him. Electra was glad no one asked her to join; she didn't know if she could stand another moment in Anvard. At least in Cair Paravel she could escape Lady Crystalline for hours at a time. Here she seemed to have to put up with her.

The journey home was much more enjoyable than the ride to Archenland, albeit it was still a quiet one for Electra. She exchanged a single smile with Edmund, who smiled back in return before she turned her attention to the window.

"I could use a nice long nap," Edmund said, stretching once they reached the castle steps, stretching his arms out.

"You slept most of the way back," Lucy giggled, stepping out of the carriage, Susan right behind her.

Electra stepped out last, glancing over at Peter and Lady Crystalline, who were already heading up to the front gates. Their arms were locked in one another's and smiling away, existing only in their own worlds.

Electra held back a gagging sound, finally stepping onto the ground and looking up at the castle. At least it was big enough that she could find a new hiding spot each day. She didn't think she could stand another tea luncheon with the woman. She also knew that if she didn't expose the woman soon, she would regret it for the rest of her life. She just couldn't do it at the moment because they'd just gotten back, and Peter was a bit too preoccupied to really listen to anyone at the moment.

"Something on your mind?" Electra turned to Lucy who had spoken.

"Glad to be back," Electra replied with a smile, then muttered in addition, "Even if there's a rat here as well…"

"A rat?" Susan squealed, lifting the hem of her skirt from the ground and hopping onto the steps looking around. "Where? Oh, Edmund kill it!"

"There's no rat," Electra replied, unable to help grinning at Susan's reaction. "I was only using a metaphor."

"Oh," replied Susan, obviously relieved that there was no rat around. Without another word she headed back toward the castle.

"I beg your pardon, your Majesty," a faun approached Edmund, bowing. "But there are a few ambassadors and some refugees from Owlwood in the war room. It's of the upmost importance."

Edmund looked both bewildered and troubled."Refugees?" Hurried up the steps, beating Susan to the top before retreating inside to see what was going on.

Electra frowned, suddenly having a sinking feeling. If 'refugees,' 'war room' and 'importance' were all used in the same sentence, whatever news the faun had for them, it was more than likely not good news.


	28. Disturbing Silence

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Disturbing Silence

"You'll be back soon, won't you?"

Within an hour of arriving back home, Peter, Edmund and the rest of the guards were being called to Owlwood. Many of the old White Witch supporters had burned a few Marshwiggle villages and were now said to be heading north. Peter and Edmund would be following them to stop them before any more damage was done while more troupes were quickly rallied by Oreius.

The sight was a somber one, until Electra caught sight of Peter and Lady Crystalline saying their temporary goodbyes to one another. They had their foreheads pressed together and Lady Crystalline looked utterly pathetic, staring at the king with puppy dog eyes as her fingers gently ran across his cheeks. Everyone else had discreetly looked away, Electra soon to join them. But she couldn't rid herself of the image of that snake.

"Lucy, Susan and Electra will take care of you while I'm gone," Peter promised her with a smile. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

Electra couldn't help but roll her eyes, standing a bit behind Lucy and Susan who were saying their goodbyes to Edmund. Electra glanced around at the other troupes who were preparing for departure, none of them seemed to notice the High King and his mistress's mushy departure. Her eyes inadvertently glanced in their direction and did a double take.

She had to use all her self control to not make her face look revolted or make a sickening sound. The two had their arms wrapped around one another, their lips locked tenderly in an embrace. If Electra didn't know better she would have guessed they were already married and Peter wouldn't have been returning home for several years. On the contrary, she really wished that small nightmarish fantasy would not come true any time soon. It was bad enough Crystalline was staying while they were away. That simply meant Electra would be forced to entertain her some of the time.

She turned her attention back to Edmund, who was hugging Lucy, suddenly having a vision of what it would be like if she were in Lady Crystalline's place and Edmund in Peter's. That fantasy made her slightly day dreamy and she didn't notice when Edmund finally turned to her.

"Electra."

"Huh?" she asked, looking around at Susan and Lucy who were staring at her a little confused. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, my mind was sidetracked."

"Do you promise to protect the others while Peter and I are away?" he asked. "Don't get hurt yourself, but please watch after the others." He gave her a shifty smile. "I need to know I can trust you."

Electra felt her heart swell slightly, her lips curling into a faint smile. He was placing his trust upon her, not that he hadn't before, but now he was verbally asking for it. She gave him a nod. Perhaps she would allow Crystalline to obtain a minor injury, but she definitely wouldn't allow her to die if it came to that.

"You can count on me."

Edmund smiled and nodded in thanks before turning to his sisters once more, giving them a tight hug and climbing atop his horse. Electra stood, feeling her insides turn to stone as he completely disregarded her otherwise. He didn't bother saying goodbye to her and as much as she hated to admit it, it hurt inside. Taking a deep and shuddering breath, she turned her back on them and headed up the castle steps. She was outside long enough to hear Crystalline's calls of goodbye to them as they rode north, and she wouldn't have been surprised if she had pulled out a handkerchief and was waving it as well.

Inside was unnaturally quiet. Most of the guards had left with the two kings for Owlwood, leaving the minimal number of guards to patrol the castle walls. She was glad the pirates had been taken care of and the chances of the castle being seized now were minimal. And she personally would do everything in her power to keep the queens safe if anything did happen.

A week past and little happened in the castle. Though she was required to spend some time with the queens and their esteemed guest, for their sake she did her best to rid herself of their company as quickly as possible. Electra felt sorry for Lucy and Susan, mostly Lucy, whom she knew was hurting by running away so much. She made a silent promise to apologize to Lucy once the boys were back.

Electra wanted to tell the Queens of what happened in Archenland, but whenever she attempted to talk to them, they were either busy with something extremely important or busy entertaining Lady Crystalline. Electra would have gladly revealed the Lady of her horridness right in front of her, but she knew better than that. Having a grudge was one of the worst things someone could hold against her, and she wasn't about to make a bigger one than what was already there.

Electra spent most of the time she had avoiding Crystalline by spending her time in the library reading through the shelves. Reading through the millions of books in the oversized library did more than keep her from the Lady, however. Oddly enough it kept her mind away from the silence that had overcome the castle. Her latest find had been the gift Father Christmas gave to Peter, the large book. Much to Electra's surprise, it was an interesting read of an almost documentary-accurate account of how the White Witch had kept away from Narnia for hundreds of years.

"Well, what do we have here?" a voice echoed.

Electra twitched slightly at the sound of the last voice she wanted to hear at the moment. As much as she hated the silence that had overcome the castle, her voice was worse to hear than anything. Electra took a deep breath and continued reading, using all of her concentration to focus on the words on the page rather than the images pouring through her mind of strangling the woman interrupting her alone time.

Crystalline's footsteps echoed through the library and a shadow cut across the page Electra was reading.

"You're in my light," Electra mused, looking up at her with a sickening smile. She knew better than to start a fight, but it wouldn't be long until she broke. If Crystalline knew what was good for her, she'd have left that instant.

"That's Peter's," the woman said, flipping close the book, loosing Electra's place. "Are you sure you got his permission before going through his things."

"It was in the library," Electra growled, concentrating on the leather bound cover. "I was under the impression that the library was public."

"You thought wrong," Crystalline said, taking the book from Electra and half tossing it to a side table. "Didn't you see the 'pirates not allowed' sign on the door?"

Electra suddenly stood up, fire in her eyes. Crystalline took a few frightened steps backward before fully standing her ground. Her lips curled in a fierce snarl, and her fingers were twitching irritably at her sides. She was doing all she could not to lunge at the woman.

"Oh, it looks like I touched a nerve," Lady Crystalline mused, gaining her cruel demeanor back and taking a few steps forward. "Better watch out, the big bad monster might break loose."

She reached up her arm to touch Electra's hair. In an instant Electra's hand grabbed firmly against her wrist. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Crystalline gasp in surprise and pain, finding some pleasure in the reaction. Her fingers flexed slightly, gripping her more.

"Quite a grip you have," Crystalline said warily.

"Keep talking and you'll find out I have more than a strong grip," Electra threatened.

Lady Crystalline smiled, giving out a soft fake laugh. "Be careful, Electra. Your reputation works against you. Many of the guards might still be gone, but there are those left. They all think the same about you. They whisper behind your back. They know you can't be trusted. I scream and whose story are they going to believe: the word of a defenseless lady who was being attacked or the ex-pirate who's doing the attacking? It's really not a hard choice if you think about it. What would you do if you were in that situation? Don't be stupid."

As much as Electra hated to admit it, but she had more than a solid point. In disgust, she let her go and moved out of the room.

"Oh, this must be a new one," Crystalline called after her. "The pirate runs away a coward."

Electra stopped in her tracks, her blood boiling over. She spun on the spot turning to face Crystalline, who had crossed over to the other side of the couch, smirking triumphantly at Electra. Electra marched right in Crystalline's direction, who backed up to the couch until she could move no longer. Electra didn't stop until she was practically nose to nose with the woman.

"Call me a coward again," she threatened.

Crystalline said nothing. Electra couldn't help but give off a soft laugh. "I may be a coward in your eyes, Crystalline. Hell, I may be a coward, period. But I'm a better person than you. I'm not only strong physically, but have enough strength to stand your torments."

"Shall we put it to the test?" Crystalline asked with a raised eyebrow. "Do and you'll be hung."

"And you won't see that unfortunately, because you'll be dead," Electra replied.

"Show respect to those who hold authority over you," she ordered. "You're walking a thin line."

"Give me a reason to show you respect," Electra spat. "Then maybe I'll consider it." She glared at the woman a moment longer before storming from the library, heading to one of the towers for sanctuary. One more minute with the woman and Electra would have easily broken.

Electra completely skipped dinner that evening, instead deciding to go to the kitchen later that night when the stars were out in order to get some food. She couldn't stand another confrontation in less than twenty-four hours. She occupied herself with brooding over what was happening in Owlwood.

A week had passed, and not a word had been heard from them. She would have thought by now that a raven or someone would have sent word back to the castle. The last time she hadn't heard word of Edmund's progress while away, she had been jailed. This time she was likely to go crazy and jailed if she took her craze out on Crystalline.

She really hoped they hadn't gotten lost, or overthrown for that matter. She hoped that the reserve troupes being gathered had arrived in time before anything horrible happened to them. She couldn't imagine how it would kill her if something happened to Edmund and she hadn't even said goodbye to him. Forget that, she'd never forgive herself if anything happened to Edmund.

One week grew into two, and two grew into four. Soon a month and a half past, and still no word of what was going on at the front. The queens were uneasy about the lack of word from their brothers, and Electra as well. Lady Crystalline voiced her concern about the lack of Peter and Edmund's word, but the tone of her voice suggested that she seemed less concerned about them than she should have, considering her personal relationship with the High King.

According to Crystalline, however, her attitude was based on the fact that she was taught not to worry. War was meant for men, and there was little the women could do than simply wait for their return.

"And what if they don't return?" Electra outburst finally. She was tired of Crystalline's authoritive attitude and wanted nothing more than to beat her black and blue.

"Electra!" Susan said sharply. "Peter and Edmund will return and they will send word soon. This isn't the longest they've been away."

"It's the longest they've been away without word," Lucy said solemnly. She looked like a puppy that missed its master during a long trip.

"War does that," Crystalline said, straitening herself up in her chair. "They're busy protecting us. They'll send word when they get the chance. They won't want us worrying."

"What do you know of war?" Electra snarled.

"Electra!" Susan snapped again.

"No! I want to hear this." Electra turned to Lady Crystalline and folded her arms. "What could you possibly know of war that I don't? You've never been on the front line. Even when someone is fighting to the death, they don't wait a month and a half to let those who love them worry. They send word."

"Electra, you're completely out of line," Susan ordered.

"No," Lady Crystalline smiled fakely, looking up at Electra. "She should vent. Everyone knows about her infatuation with the young king. It's natural for her to be unstable like this, especially considering her history."

Electra's insides exploded, her eyes piercing the woman who was tearing her apart in ways that no one else could possibly have. She never moved however, as that would have sealed her fate. Instead, she settled for imagining wrapping her fingers around her throat and strangling her until she breathed her last. Wishful dreaming however, she knew, because Susan and Lucy would never allow it. Not to mention how had Crystalline found out about her feelings toward Edmund anyway. She knew Lucy wouldn't have told, and she didn't know of anyone else who might have known.

Not getting the response she desired, Crystalline continued on as though reading her thoughts. "Oh, I've noticed the looks you've given him. It's quite cute, actually. That is, if you're looking past the humorous part of it. Like he could actually consider you in the same way."

"Crystalline," Lucy cut in, looking at her worriedly. "That's not funny."

"Oh, I'm not trying to be," she said. "I'm being completely serious. Our Electra here thinks she is in love with your brother Edmund."

"That's absurd," Susan replied. "Making judgments like this. It's really unfair and… Electra wouldn't think that way about Edmund. The two are just friends, right?" She looked up at Electra, as though begging for her to agree so that Crystalline wouldn't continue on.

"She's right," Electra said, her voice rough. "King Edmund and I are just friends."

Lady Crystalline laughed. "King Edmund, now, is he? Oh, Electra, my darling. You are quite cute when you don't mean to be. Don't tell me the two of you have never noticed the look she gets in her eyes whenever she looks at him. The lust. One only a pirate could have. She thinks and says she's in love with him because she doesn't want to label it. And unless you're careful, she might just get exactly what she wants."

Electra swallowed, closing her eyes and refusing to allow herself to listen to Crystalline's words. She didn't leave because she knew if she did, Crystalline would only mock her behind her back. Lucy and Susan were too stunned at the moment to protect her, so she took it now, hoping that it would end soon enough. Behind her closed eyelids she pictured Edmund, holding her safe in his arms, in the way he only would in her dreams. When she opened them again, she stared determinedly at Crystalline to show she hadn't gotten to her yet.

"Oh, there it is again," Crystalline mused. "The look in your eyes. Are you fantasizing in your dreams because it could never be a reality? I can only hope Edmund sees through your little tricks before it's too late."

"That's enough!" Lucy ordered, finally standing up and facing Crystalline with a scowl. "You're a guest here, and Electra is like family to us. If you can't treat her with respect, then you're not welcome."

Crystalline shook her head. "I'm only treating her the way a pirate should be treated. Once a traitor, always a traitor. The back stabbers are the worst," she glanced at Electra with a cruel grin in her eyes.

"I said that's enough!" Lucy shouted again. "Electra's done nothing but good for us. If you really are this horrid, then you might as well pack. If this is the real you, I hope you know that you've just ruined any chances you had of being with my brother. If anyone's playing tricks on people, it's you."

"I'm merely trying to be helpful, Lucy," Crystalline implored. "Trust in her species is frowned upon."

"That's Queen Lucy," Lucy snapped. "And Electra is my friend. If anyone has a problem with it, they can tell me."

"Can we please just try to be civilized?" Susan spoke up. "We have our different views, but we don't need to be at each other's throats about it."

"How can you take her side?" Lucy asked.

"I'm not taking sides," Susan replied sternly. "I prefer talking things out, is all. We can use more civilized conversations around here."

A knock on the door suddenly subdued each of their thoughts. It opened and a badger entered, bowing low. "My apologies for interrupting, your Majesties, but I bring word of your brothers."

"How are they?" Susan asked the badger, standing up to take the news. Lucy too looked eager and Lady Crystalline listened in with rapt attention. Electra's heart stopped beating all together as she feared the worst.

"The battle has been won," the badger replied. "The Witch's old army has been driven into the wild lands and your brothers are returning home as we speak."

* * *

**A/N: Four more chapters and then the epilogue until the end. Thank you so much everyone who's reading and reviewing! I really hope you enjoy the rest of the story!**


	29. Return of the Kings

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Return of the Kings

The three women stood at the gate as the army approached. Peter was easy enough to catch sight of, but Edmund was nowhere to be seen. They stood there for a moment before any of them actually saw it.

"Peter!" Lucy fearful yell crashed through the air as she ran over to meet her brother. Electra took a second look at Peter before biting her lip, he was dismounting his horse rather unsteadily as she realized his left arm was bloodied and wrapped in a thick white bandage. Susan and Crystalline were quick to hurry to his side, Electra not far behind.

"Are you alright?" Lucy asked quickly. "And Edmund, where is he?"

"His Majesty should get inside," Oreius told them. "I promise you King Edmund is in no danger." The young queen nodded in response.

With Susan taking one side and Lucy taking the other, they helped Peter into the castle and to his room. Many of the soldiers were speaking with one another, not following so as not to crowd their High King. Lady Crystalline followed right behind the three while Electra stayed farther back, not wanting to have another conversation like the one she had in Archenland or earlier that day. Instead, she stayed in the doorway upon coming to his room.

Lucy was about halfway into the room, watching Peter closely and worriedly. Susan was on one side of the bed taking off the dirty bandages from his arm before washing it and wrapping them in new ones. Lady Crystalline was sitting on the other side of his bed, watching him with a hypnotic gaze, caressing the back of his hand with her thumb.

"So what happened?" Lucy asked concernedly to Peter. "And your injury?"

"There were a lot of them," Peter replied grimacing against Susan pulling at the bandages. "Werewolf slashed up my arm pretty well. Though luckily he didn't bite me." He was doing his best not to show his pain to those around him, though he wasn't doing a very good job of it.

"Why didn't you contact us?" Susan asked sternly.

"We got lost, believe it or not," Peter replied with a small chuckle. "Lucky for us, Edmund had his compass that Father Christmas gave him at hand or we never would have found our way back."

"How could you have gotten lost in Owlwood?" Susan asked. "We've been there many-a-time."

"My guess is as good as yours," he replied, grimacing slightly as he sat up a bit. "My guess was some sort of hag enchantment. No one knew their way around. It was like wandering around an endless plain of grass in the thickest of fogs. No one knew which direction was which." He winced again. "You got the fire flower juice, Lucy?"

Lucy nodded, hurrying from her room and down the hall. Susan was busy wrapping bandages around Peter's arm while Lady Crystalline sat on the opposite side of the bed smiling away at Peter, taking his full attention now. Electra knew it was dangerous to poke a dragon in the eye, especially if it was preoccupied and calm at the moment, but she couldn't help but interrupt from where she stood in the doorway.

"Where is Edmund?" Electra asked as discretely as she could, ignoring the gleam in Crystalline's eye as she watched Electra with rapt attention because she took Peter's attention away from her. Electra kept her eyes on Peter so she wouldn't have to look at those staring at her with piercing gaze. "He didn't come back with the rest of you."

"He stayed behind for a little while," Peter replied. "He wanted to make sure everything was beginning to get back in order before returning to Owlwood. I would have stayed but he insisted I return."

"If you hadn't have come back with a broken arm like this, I would have broken your other arm," Susan scolded.

"What is taking Lucy so long?" Crystalline asked, pulling the attention back away from Electra, whom didn't mind one bit. "I thought you kept your treasures in your room."

"Until last fall," Peter informed her before giving a playful wink to Electra. Electra couldn't help but laugh slightly at this, which seemed to infuriate Peter's mistress all the more. At the moment she didn't really though because she knew the chances of Lady Crystalline acting like her true self in front of Peter at the moment was slim to none.

"Peter, dear," Crystalline whispered, looking at him lovingly. "I think we should leave you so you can rest."

Electra stand corrected herself. She could be rude in a much more sneaky way than thought. Without waiting for a response she turned and headed out the door, nearly bumping into Lucy in the process.

"Sorry," she whispered moving out of the way so Lucy could get in before going into the hallway. Taking a deep breath once outside, she headed down the hall.

"Electra!" a stern irritated voice called from behind her.

Feeling rather tired she rolled her eyes and turned around. "What do you want, Crystalline?" she asked irritably.

"Lady Crystalline," she corrected her harshly. "And nice try attempting to take him away from me. Though if that is your best, you're more pathetic than I thought."

"Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?" Electra asked.

"Show some respect," Crystalline ordered, her eyes narrowed into slits, "or I won't wait until I have you hung."

"I am showing you respect," Electra replied sarcastically. "Every bit of respect you deserve. You're a witch and the day that Peter sees your true self, I hope I'm there to watch every single moment of it."

Electra suddenly felt a sharp pain across her face as Crystalline smacked her with all the strength she had. She pulled her arm back to take another swing at her, but Electra had had enough. She was tired of the woman thinking she had more power over Electra because of a stupid title and political standings. She quickly grabbed her swinging wrist before taking her other hand and back handing her full across the face. The force sent Crystalline sprawling backwards. She looked up at Electra with an enraged expression before gnashing her teeth and charging at her once again.

Electra knew that expression 'you fight like a girl' was both completely acceptable and not as big of an insult simultaneously. Crystalline was in no way stronger than Electra. She did, however, pull hair and use her nails like any other girl would fight, encouraging Electra to use the same tactics. She felt as though she was fighting an enraged feline rather than another person.

The scuffle didn't go unheard, and soon the two were pulled apart by those who came running to find out what the large ruckus was about. Electra attempted to put up a fight, completely through with dealing with Crystalline's snide and malicious remarks. Her neck was red from fingernail marks and her lip was bleeding. Adrenaline was pumping through her body in a rate she hadn't felt in so long. She doubted she was this riled when she fought Triton.

Similarly Crystalline was completely calm, despite her disheveled appearance. Somewhere in their small scuffle Electra had managed to rip one of the shoulder seams of her dress as well pull her hair out of it's elegant bun so strands of it hung loosely here an there. Despite her appearance, she had a look of triumph on her face, as though she just won some great victory.

"What happened here?" Oreius asked sternly as Susan helped Crystalline stand. Electra was still being held back by another soldier.

"She attacked me," Crystalline answered pathetically.

"Oh, you're a right liar!" Electra accused beginning her struggle once again to tear more than just the woman's dress.

"Enough," Susan ordered, glaring at the both of them. "Crystalline, what happened?"

"She'll just lie!" Electra yelled, but was immediately silenced by a look from Susan.

Crystalline took a breath. "I was leaving Peter's room and she jumped at me from behind the doorframe. She came out of nowhere, and just attacked me. I told you she was dangerous, Susan. You have to throw her out before she tries to hurt you or her brothers."

"No one is getting thrown out," Susan replied sternly, receiving a slightly taken aback look from Lady Crystalline. Susan then turned to Electra. "What happened?"

"You'll believe her word over mine?" Crystalline asked disbelievingly and rather frantically.

"I believe no one's word until I've heard all of them," Susan replied, turning toward Electra once more before asking her question again. "What happened, Electra?"

"I left," Electra replied. "She followed me and called me out. I replied, she provoked and hit me. I attacked."

Crystalline huffed with a grin. "Only a soul with nothing to loose would confess like that. She's admitted to the crime of attacking me. Now throw her in the dungeons!"

"She admitted to attacking you after you provoked her," Lucy accused. She had come down the hall and listened to both confrontations.

"Are you saying I am a liar, your Majesty?" Cryatalline asked testily.

"Stop it," Susan ordered, rubbing her temples. Electra could tell that she wasn't used to ensuing order. She turned to the guard. "Escort Electra to her room and stay outside her hall. I don't need any more trouble at the moment. Oreius, take Crystalline to her own chambers and watch her there. We don't need anyone else attacking her for no reason."

Susan glanced at Electra, who had felt her temper rise since it seemed she was siding with Crystalline. After the glance, however, she immediately settled down. If Susan didn't seem to be siding, Crystalline would only be more trouble than she was. Without a word, Electra turned away and followed the guard back to her room.

Once there, she could do little more than wait. Minutes dragged by so long that she was sure hours had passed. The only way she could tell that time was moving unnaturally slowly was that the sun didn't seem to get any lower in the sky from her window view.

After enough time had passed that Electra thought she was going to go crazy her bedroom door opened. To her surprise, Peter entered with his hands folded behind his back. She looked at him questioningly before she remembered Lucy's fireflower juice.

"Electra," he stated, almost too formally, "I have been recently informed of a small quarrel between you and Lady Crystalline right outside my bedroom. I have been told different accounts of the story and now I'm here to ask you something important. You don't like her. Why?"

The question was all too easy to answer, and yet at the same time it was impossible to answer. Electra didn't dislike her; she loathed her with a fiery passion. But it was a justified dislike. Rumors floated around behind the King's back of an engagement she knew the Lady had started. She was completely vile to anyone not at her political or nobility level and she didn't bother to take the time to get to know anyone with a bad history. She simply assumed they were forever untrustworthy.

The bad side to this was Electra could tell that Crystalline really did care about Peter, almost as much as Peter cared for her. The two were a good match together, but Peter never saw how she was around others that weren't his family.

"Peter—"

"Be honest, Electra," he said firmly. "I don't want to hear something because it won't hurt my feelings."

Electra took a deep breath. "Because she isn't fair. She likes you, and cares about you and your family. But when it comes to your guests and the guards, she's controlling. She's arrogant. She thinks she's better than us, which she is in title but certainly not in person."

Peter watched her for a moment before staring at the ground. Electra watched his form carefully, wondering whether she should apologize for her honesty.

"I was hoping for a moment I'd been hearing things," he said to himself.

"Hearing things?" Electra asked. Then she realized, Peter must have heard them outside of his room. Susan must have been too preoccupied fixing Peter's arm to hear them at first, but Peter… Electra felt sorry for him that he had to go through something like that.

With a sigh he left, leaving the door open behind him. The guard that had been at the door followed right behind him. Electra stayed where she was watching the open door and feeling a small piece of her leave with Peter. She felt as though he had suddenly lost some respect for her for thinking ill of his mistress. She couldn't blame him, though she knew her reasons were more than justifiable.

Winter quickly melted away into spring. Lady Crystalline had left back for her home and Electra spent much of her time once again with Lucy or Susan. Peter mostly kept to his office, working on political affairs, though now Electra noticed he seemed to be staying there from dawn to dusk and his food was brought to him.

"He gets like that when he's upset," Lucy explained. "He keeps to himself and avoids people. It's his own way of dealing."

"It's a bit childish if you ask me," Susan commented, "locking yourself up in a room to sulk because you found out the perfect person for you isn't so perfect after all. I wish he would just grow up. At least he's not completely neglecting his duties or things would get a bit out of hand."

"Overwork is just as hard," Lucy replied, spreading jam on her toast. "I don't see how he can work that hard. Hopefully he'll slow down when Edmund gets back."

"Any word from him?" Electra asked. Now that the cat was out of the bag, she didn't see any way of avoiding the problem completey.

While Lucy gave her a smile, Susan eyed her before going back to her tea. Electra knew she disapproved of the idea, but didn't fully come out and say it. She personally didn't want to become Lady Crystalline.

"He sent the Raven Fallowhorn up yesterday," she answered. "He said he would be back soon. Which is good because we need him if we're going to finish planning for the spring celebration."

"What?" a voice asked behind them. "You haven't even said hello and you're already assigning me chores?"

The three women looked up from their table to see Edmund standing in the doorway with a broad grin in his face. Lucy let out an excited squeal and jumped up before running over to hug her brother. Susan similarly let out a broad smile before moving over to him and hugging him as well. Electra stood, but did not move from her spot. She simply smiled at Edmund.

"It's so good to see you," Lucy said excitedly. "We were only talking about when you were getting home."

Edmund smiled and hugged his sisters. "Yeah right," he replied. "I heard you talking about putting me to work." After hugging them he looked up a the remaining person there.

"Hello, Edmund," Electra greeted him.

"Hello, Electra," he said with a grin. "Am I not good enough to get a hug from you?"

Shaking her head, she moved past his sisters, who gave her enough room for the two to embrace. Electra closed her eyes, cherishing the feeling in his arms. Perhaps it was just her, him being away for so long, but it seemed that he was holding her a bit tighter than he used to. After a while the two pulled away from each other. There was a look in Edmund's eye that told her something was going on.

"Is everything alright?" she asked him concernedly.

"Perfect," he replied. "The marshwiggles are rebuilding their villages as pleasantly as they can. Which isn't pleasant at all if you've ever met one. They're the most depressing creatures on the face of this planet. They could live in Cair Paravel and still complain."

"Be glad they don't then," Susan replied gratefully.

"Where's Peter?" Edmund asked.

"In his office," Lucy replied. "He's sulking. Don't mention the name Crystalline to him. I don't think it's a good idea to bother him at all, really."

"I've got to," Edmund replied. "And I wasn't planning on mentioning her anyway." He turned his attention to Electra and took her by the hand. As it always did when they touched, Electra felt her pulse quicken a bit. "Someone's here to see you."

Electra looked at him quizzically. Who would be there to see her? She knew no one else who would possibly be interested in talking to her, let alone seeing her. Despite this, Electra allowed him to lead her through the halls. At the doors to the throne room, he paused before opening them before stepping back.

Electra paused before going inside. She glanced for half a second before her eyes fell upon one certain individual in the room. She stopped, gasping slightly.

"Hello, Electra."


	30. Spring's Bloom

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

* * *

Spring's Bloom

It took Electra about a minute to gain full control of her body before falling to her knees and bowing to the figure before her.

"Rise, Daughter of Eve," Aslan said with a smile, taking a few steps closer to her until he was merely two feet in front of her. Electra looked up at him before immediately standing up, making her head spin slightly. The lion let out a soft chuckle. "Don't hurt yourself doing so."

"Aslan," she breathed, unable to take her eyes away from the golden beast. It was unlike her dreams, the way his presence filled her. This was real, so much more real. Simply seeing his amber eyes here took her breath away.

He let out another soft chuckle, turning away toward the side exit. "Come. Walk with me."

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously, turning to follow him. Her mind was too consumed with Aslan to realize the two were alone.

"Is it really that big of a surprise?"

Electra walked silently next to him out of the throne room and down from the castle. She found she wasn't the least bit surprised when they reached the beach. Unlike their other meetings, the sun was high in the bright blue sky lined with soft clouds here and there.

"It's a peaceful day," Aslan spoke walking to the surf. "Take off your shoes, the sand is cool enough."

Without question, Electra did so, taking her shoes off before following Aslan. The first wave washed over their feet. Electra expected it to still be cold from the winter that had just ended. On the contrary it was mildly cool and quite comfortable over her skin. She smiled as she continued to step on the soft warm sand, each wave washing away their footsteps as they slowly made their way down the beach.

"The first days of spring are always the most hopeful," Aslan said, pulling in Electra's attention. "The new warmth, the bright colors. It's as though the world is starting over again after a long sleep."

"I agree," Electra replied. "Even out at sea it's easy to tell when spring comes."

"Do you miss it?" Aslan asked.

Electra glanced at the Lion before looking out at the endless abyss. So much adventure lay there, adventures Electra felt she had sought more than once. Each one was different and yet each one was the same.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't," she answered honestly.

"Do you want to go back?"

Electra immediately shook her head. "I really do miss it, but the hurt isn't so much anymore. I used to think I needed the sea to survive, like I need oxygen. Now I realize it was nothing more than an addiction to alcohol or a drug. I depended on it to much, and when I needed escape and a home it became my worst nightmare. Though it's sometimes hard, I don't think I could ever go back if I wanted to."

"There would be nothing wrong with that if you did," said Aslan.

"I know," Electra replied. "But I don't want to. There's too much here at Cair Paravel." She couldn't help but give a small laugh. "At least I get to see the ocean, smell it, occasionally touch it." Another wave glossed over her feet and she smiled slightly.

"Edmund's a good choice," Aslan spoke.

Electra felt herself going bright red, unable to say anything or really even look at Aslan. "He doesn't deserve the likes of me," Electra whispered, unable to look at him.

"On the contrary," Aslan replied with a hint of a smile in his voice, "I believe you should let Edmund decide what is good for him. You two are more alike than you realize. It's part of what attracts you to him. You're both like puzzles with missing pieces. You can find yourselves within one another."

Electra watched Aslan with a curious expression. "Do you always talk in riddles?" she asked genuinely.

Aslan let out a soft laugh. "Only when I feel it necessary for people to figure things out for themselves. I can't always tell you which path to chose. But I can help lead you to making the right choice."

"I just…" she sighed, unable to finish her sentence.

"Just what?" asked Aslan, stopping in his steps, Electra following suit. She looked at him, unsure of where she was going. Simply by looking at his eyes she gained the courage to tell him the fear in her heart.

"He knows how I feel about him," she said.

"Does he?"

"I pretty much flat out told him on accident," she replied. "Well, before I ran away in humiliation. But I still said it, and he heard it. He doesn't feel the same way."

"If you didn't give him time to react, how can you be sure of what he was thinking?" Electra was stumped on that one. "Things aren't always the way you think you see them. There's always something hidden that unless you say or ask strait out, the other will never know the full truth."

Electra nodded and the two continued their walk down the beach in silence. The only sounds that washed over them were the soft crashing waves and the occasional whistle of the wind through the leaves or the bird singing. Electra glanced back at the castle. She had never seen it from this perspective on the beach, but it was beautiful. The sun was hitting it just perfectly.

"How do you like Cair Paravel?" Aslan asked her.

Electra glanced over at him, unable to let out a soft smile. "It's not what I was born into," she admitted, glancing back up at the castle. "But it's growing on me. Especially the Kings and Queens."

"It was the life you were born into, Electra," Aslan told her. "You just don't remember it."

Electra shot her head in Aslan's direction, not expecting that at all. "What?"

"You were born a princess," Aslan said, sitting down in the sand. "In the southern lands, past where Calormen's borders used to stop. Unfortunately it was overtaken and burned by pirates a little over ten years ago, allowing Calormen to conquer the territory and call it their own in a matter of weeks after the incident. You survived."

Electra stood there completely paralyzed. She a princess? That couldn't have been possible. She didn't remember any of it. Then again, even if she wasn't a princess she still didn't remember it. Her past was as black to her now as it was for the past ten years. There was no reason that this new revelation brought up by Aslan should make her remember.

"So," she said, attempting to make sense of what he was saying even though momentarily her head was simply spinning, "my family is dead? And they didn't abandon me?"

"Think hard," Aslan said with a smile in his eyes, "what is a family?"

Electra watched him before closing her eyes and thinking about it. Family were the people who raised you, took care of you, loved you. They brought her up to who she was today.

"Your biological parents died," Aslan continued on her thoughts. "Those who raised you are dead save for Darit who is in exile. But those take care of you now and love you today are right next to you. Or rather, waiting for you in the castle."

"Do you really think I could be someone that high in society after all I've done?" Electra asked him. "For every promise I've broken? For every life I've taken away?"

"On the contrary," Aslan replied, "You've proven yourself quite able to take care of yourself and make up for the things you've done wrong. You are too ladent with guilt at the moment. Ease your mind. Experience comes in time, as it did with the High King and his siblings. It will come to you as well."

"But the country is part of Calormen now," Electra replied. "If there is no country, how could I be a princess of anything."

"You are a princess from blood," Aslan said, standing up with a smile. "Nothing can take that right away from you. And I hear you consider Cair Paravel your home now. That would make you a princess of Narnia."

Electra's eyes grew wide. She couldn't believe all of this was happening to her. She had so many doubts and worries. What if she didn't do things right? What if she was a bad princess. So many worries muddled her head she found it hard to think strait.

Then one thought stopped her mind in its tracks. It was an image, a face. The face of King Edmund. He was smiling at her, and the simple thought calmed her entirely. Her heart still raced and her breath picked up a bit, but it was now in a good way. He hadn't left her. His family hadn't left her. She wasn't alone.

Electra turned to look strait at Aslan before kneeling low before him. "I'll do my best for you, Aslan."

"I trust you will," Aslan said with a smile. "I have much faith in you, Electra of Narnia."

Electra couldn't help but smile widely at the sound of his words. Before she had simply been of the Lone Islands. Now Aslan had officially renamed her of Narnia. It was something small, but it made her feel warmly inside nonetheless.

Aslan turned back toward Cair Paravel. "Now, you should hurry back. The others are waiting for you."

Electra hesitated. "Do they know?"

"Edmund does," Aslan said, turning to her. "No doubt he will inform the others." His eyes looked up toward Cair Paravel.

Electra's gaze stayed at the sand. She could pretty much see where this was going now. Susan would want to hold some sort of ceremony, being the party girl she was. Lucy would be bouncing off walls in excitement. Peter, she wasn't exactly sure what he would do, but she knew he would do something. Edmund, she didn't know what to think about.

When she looked back up to ask Aslan what she should do, he had disappeared. Confused, she turned around, thinking maybe he had walked in the opposite direction. Seeing nothing, she looked back at the sand where his paw prints still remained before the next tide came and washed them away.

"Electra!"

Electra looked up to see Edmund who was moving rather quickly along the beach to meet up with her. He had a bright smile on his face, the exact same way she had envisioned him, except he was squinting slightly in the sunlight.

"Is everything alright?" Electra asked, not sure what to make of his sudden appearance.

"Of course," he replied, stopping just in front of her. "I just never really got to, well I guess you could say congratulate you, on your title."

"Oh," she replied, looking at the sand and feeling a bit down. "Thanks, I guess."

A silent moment passed between them before he spoke again. "Is everything alright?"

"I don't know," she responded honestly with a sigh. "Everything is happening so fast. I don't know if I'm up for it. I mean, I know I'm not the person I was last year, and I know I've made up for it, but is it really for me?"

He looked a bit sad at her small comment. "Do you want to leave?" he asked.

"No!" she replied hastily. "Of course not. Cair Paravel is my home. It's just really overwhelming."

"You could always refuse the crown," Edmund said slowly, keeping his eyes on her. "You know that, right?"

Electra nodded, thinking hard. "I know."

"I hope you don't though."

Confused, she looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Electra, whether you realize it or not, but you belong here. You've willingly stayed here throughout winter. You've put up with Crystalline. Lucy says you act right at home when the two of you have tea together and you're not worrying while Peter and I are off at war. You've done things for my family countless times and protected them in ways others wouldn't think of. If anyone deserves something like this, it's you."

Electra let out a half laugh. "I just don't want to let anyone down."

"You won't let anyone down," Edmund told her pulling her into another tight hug. "I promise." Electra hugged him back, glad for the comfort and at least that he had faith in her. "The others are waiting."

Electra pulled back, looking skeptical. "You told them already?"

Edmund gave a small smile. "As if I couldn't. This news is huge, Electra. Susan and Lucy are already planning a huge coming out coronation ceremony for you."

"Please tell me you're kidding about that" Electra begged. Though she knew that was what they were likely to do, that didn't mean she wanted them to go through with it.

"Well, if we get back in time, I'm sure you can stop them from planning the whole thing and already inviting everyone," he joked before adding under her scowl, "sorry."

She changed the subject. "Peter said you got lost while in Owlwood."

Edmund nodded. "We did. Peter and I guessed it was a group of hags that cast some sort of illusion that made it almost impossible to escape from." He then reached into his pocket, pulling out a small circular gadget. It was the compass Father Christmas had given him for Christmas the past winter. "They can fool the human eye, but they can't change which way a compas points."

Laughing lightly, the two walked back up to the castle, side by side She could feel his happiness radiating through the air as they continued to walk. Though they didn't say anything, she could tell that Edmund was more than simply excited about the revelation. Electra was more nervous about it than anything.

She had little to fear though, when she walked inside with Edmund, save for Lucy practically tackling her in a hug. Susan as well came up hurriedly with a broad grin on her face, looking absolutely enthralled at the idea of planning another party. Peter was standing behind them, a mix of emotions swirling in his eyes.

"We can make your coronation the start of the annual spring celebration," Susan said excitedly. "It would be absolutely wonderful!"

"Please no," Electra begged. "I'd prefer any coronation of mine to be private."

"But you must at least have an announcement ceremony," Susan insisted. "I refuse to take no for an answer."

"Please?" Lucy asked with big puppy dog eyes. "Let us at least have this one day to dress you up and make you look pretty? We promise never to do so again. Or at least for a long time."

Electra knew there was no arguing with the two. With a large fake sigh she nodded and the two queens began squealing excitedly.

"Electra," Peter said, stepping forward, a grim expression upon his face.

"Yes?" she asked, a little more timidly. She wasn't sure to make of his expression, or that his siblings were looking at him in the same way.

Peter drew out his sword. "Kneel."

Electra glanced at the others before doing as she was told. She really doubted that he was going to hurt her in any way, but that didn't make her any less confused as to what exactly was going on.

"Electra," he began, "do you swear, by your life and by the Lion, to do everything in your power to protect those of Narnia and Cair Paravel?"

She looked up at him before looking to the floor. "I do," she replied without hesitation. She glanced up at the girls, who seemed to have huge smiles upon their faces before turning to Edmund who seemed as equally happy. She felt a soft weight upon her shoulder before it was lifted.

"Rise, Electra," Peter said, sheathing his sword and holding out his hand for her, "knight and protector of Narnia."

Electra looked up at him in disbelief before taking his hand and rising. A smile grew upon her face. "What—"

"I've been thinking about it ," Peter said, unable to hold back a smile of his own, "ever since the pirates attempted to take over care paravel. You've been extremely loyal to my family and to me. We could have really used you up in Owlwood, what with your skills at a blade. Trust me, I won't make that mistake again."

"A knight of Narnia?" she asked in disbelief. She didn't think this day could possibly get any better. Being knighted by the High King under Narnia was a huge honor and one she never dreamed would be bestowed upon her ever.

"Susan," Peter said with a grin, "why don't we inform the cooks in the kitchen to make something special tonight. I think a visit from Aslan calls for something like a feast."

"I'm coming too," Edmund announced. He turned to Electra, stretching out his hand. "Do you want to sneak some food out of the kitchen with me before supper?"

Electra couldn't help but laugh slightly. King he may be but he was still a teenager at heart. It was one of the things she would always love about him.

"Sure," she replied, taking his hand before following to the kitchen, the other three not far ahead.


	31. The Crowned Princess

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

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The Crowned Princess

Electra folded the letter she had been working on for the past ten minutes up carefully before sealing it in wax She then picked up her eagle quill from the ink well and delicately inscribed a name onto the opposite side. The sound of the quill on the parchment was soft and somewhat scratchy, but she didn't let it distract her.

A knock issued on her door and she glanced up before setting her quill back into her ink well. "Come in."

The door opened and Lucy danced in. Electra couldn't help but smile at the expression on Lucy's face; it was one of pure joy. She was dressed in a bright pink silk gown that was embroidered in silver, matching the crown atop her head. Her hair had been pulled back magnificently and twisted.

"You look lovely," Electra complimented, standing up from her desk and coming over to Lucy.

Lucy giggled, twirling around so her skirt spun a bit. "Thank you. So do you!" she exclaimed, coming over and taking Electra's hands in her own. Electra looked down at the coronation gown she had been put into. It was a bright cerulean blue silk, also trimmed with silver threading and lace. She shifted a bit, not used to wearing dresses that were made for kings and queens. Her hair had been put into elaborate curls, some of it twisted in the back and threaded with silver as well.

"You took your circlet off!" Lucy then said, pointing at her hair. Electra reached up, but didn't touch her head, knowing the type of trouble she would be in if Susan caught her messing with her hair.

"I'm still getting used to the whole idea," Electra explained, going over to her dresser and taking the circlet from on top of it. She ran her fingers over the simple piece but didn't put it back on. "You know, one day you're wrecking the lives of many, the next you find out you are a princess. It's a bit much to grasp."

"I understand," Lucy nodded with a smile. "Here, I'll put it on for you." She took the circlet from Electra's hands and motioned for her to sit down.

"I'm just glad Peter agreed to allow the coronation to be private," she said. "But what I don't understand is this whole ceremony thing. Why do I have to be announced to the public? No one wants to hear someone like me being crowned a princess. They all know what I've done."

"You deserve it," Lucy replied. Electra sat down in her chair and Lucy moved behind her. "It's in your past. We know you've changed, and the word of me or one of my brothers or sister is a guarantee that you're harmless. They know all the good you've done for Narnia and for Aslan. People will be happy to know that you survived that huge attack on your city and family when you were a child. I'm really sorry about that, by the way."

"I didn't know them," Electra replied. She was quiet for a moment as Lucy adjusted the piece on her head. "It's weird though. My whole life I thought my parents abandoned me. And now I found out they were killed because someone simply wanted their land."

"I think they were just trying to protect you," Lucy replied with a sad smile. "I doubt they knew of your title. And if they did, they didn't want others to know of it."

Electra couldn't help but smile in return. "You're right, Lucy."

Once Lucy finished messing with Electra's hair, she stood up, giving the young queen a smile. "Thank you."

"Thank you," Lucy replied. "Back in winter, there was no way you would let us get you dressed up like this, let alone do your hair."

"Just because I'm a princess, doesn't mean I'll let you play dress up on me," Electra teased with a laugh. "I still can beat Edmund and Peter at sparring any time I want. Just because I'm no longer a pirate doesn't mean I still don't have the skills. Anyone who dares to cross me is in for a surprise. Princes I may be, but soft I certainly am not.

"Touché," Lucy giggled. "I'm really not that surprised Peter also knighted you. Now you'll have to go with Peter and Edmund whenever there's a battle somewhere."

"I'm much obliged," Electra laughed.

"I'm sure Edmund as happy as he looked about that though," she giggle. "He knows you're capable of fending for yourself but if you ask me, he's still very protective of you for certain reasons."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Lucy," Electra said quickly before continuing. "I'd be more than happy to keep my training in check. I don't want to end up like Lady Crystalline, sewing samplers all day and pretending to be completely content while bored out of my mind, not to mention completely full of myself and quite arrogant."

"Pity she turned out the way she did," Lucy said sadly. "She seemed so nice."

"Some people are good actors," observed Electra. "I would know."

"You also read people really well," Lucy commented. "Where did you learn how to do that? Read people, I mean? Is it something you learned from someone else or is it something you just developed on your own?"

"A little bit of both, actually," Electra replied. "Alec taught me how to fight by reading a person's body and how they were moving. Each individual movement is crucial to a person's balance, attack, strategy, and agility. It's the same with people's eyes and faces, I guess. It's just sometimes when they speak, there's something that crosses their eyes that I can read."

"I'm glad you came to Cair Paravel last fall," Lucy said after a long moment of silence. "If you hadn't, we wouldn't be here now. And you would have never known you were a princess."

"I suppose," Electra replied. "How much time until the whole announcement thing?"

"You have a little time," Lucy said. "Why?"

"Well," Electra replied slowly. "Don't take this the wrong way, but can I meet you down there? There are a few things I want to think about and I think I might need a few minutes alone."

"Of course!" Lucy grinned, going over to the door and pulling it open. "We'll be at the south balcony near the large courtyard."

"Thank you. I'll see you down there."

"See you soon."

With a soft click, Lucy left Electra alone in her room with the door closed. She glanced around, ready to retire to it once this whole announcement celebration thing Peter and the others had planned was over. The whole idea of her going public was a bit overwhelming, since she hadn't even been crowned for an hour. Sighing, she moved over to the window and looked out at the landscape before her.

Narnia had never looked so beautiful and welcoming in her eyes. The beach was calm and serene while the ocean opened its arms. For a small moment, the urge to run to it pulled at her, but it quickly surpassed. Grinning she glanced back at the hills.

Something, or someone, was stirring in the forest. Electra blinked. Perhaps it was a trick of the light. Shaking her head, she pulled the curtains closed and moved out of her room, shutting the door behind her. In the hallway she saw one of the red dwarf guards.

"Excuse me?" she asked politely.

"Yes, your Majesty?" he asked with a bow.

Electra shifted uncomfortably. "No, you don't have to um… I thought I just saw something in the woods near the south end of Cair Paravel. I'm sure it's nothing, but could you have someone go check, just in case?"

"I'll go myself, your Majesty," the guard replied before moving off down the hall.

Electra sighed. That was another thing she would have to get used to, the title. Everything seemed so much simpler when she was just plain 'Electra.' It was almost out of place being called 'your Majesty' and such. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy tolerated it, however. She supposed in time she would do so as well. Sighing, she moved back down the hall.

The main hall outside the balcony where the announcement was being held was full of guards and ambassadors that were to be present as well. Susan and Peter were busy talking to someone else while Lucy was chatting excitedly to a faun Electra knew to be Mr. Tumnus. She didn't see Edmund anywhere at the moment, and it made her insides sink slightly.

"Ah, Princes Electra," someone next to her bowed. Electra took a half step back before giving a shifty smile.

"Please," she said quietly feeling her cheeks go palely red, "that isn't necessary."

Many other ambassadors came up to her and bowed as well, offering her congratulations before whisking off. Electra felt herself blush, not used to this type of attention that quickly came and went with absolutely no reason for it. Feeling rather uncomfortable she turned to leave the room, only to be stopped by someone else, though thankfully he was recognizable.

"Good afternoon, Edmund," she greeted him with a smile.

"Your Majesty," he teased back, bowing low. Electra rolled her eyes and he laughed.

"Don't do that," she said somewhere between a request and an order. "I really don't like people doting on me."

"I'm sure if you had a boyfriend he wouldn't mind," Edmund joked. Electra felt a small twinge in her stomach, but she pretended to ignore it.

"He may not mind," she replied, standing up straighter, "but I do."

"So you're saying if he ever treaded you like the royal you are, you'd immediately break up with him."

Electra thought on that for a moment. "Pretty much, yes. I just, I don't get the whole royal thing. I know, Lucy and the others said it takes time. But I'm still a human being, none the less."

Edmund nodded, giving her a shifty smile. There was an odd silence that passed between them, and Electra couldn't find the words to fill it. Luckily, Edmund did.

"I'd like to talk to you about something later," he told her.

The idea of simply talking to him made her smile. "Of course," she replied. "Is it something you can talk to me about now?"

He shook his head looking around at the crowded room. "Not really."

She nodded. "Alright. I promise that after this whole thing is over, you will have all of my undivided attention for as long as you wish."

"Only about two minutes," he grinned. "I promise not to take up too much of your time."

"Edmund," she said, glancing around nervously. "I'm still Electra, remember. I may have a title, and a crown, and be named some sort of political figure, but I'm still me. Nothing's going to change that."

Edmund couldn't help but smile at her, wrapping her arms around her and giving her a tight hug. "I'm glad."

Electra smiled, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him back tightly. No, nothing had changed, she reminded herself. She was still his friend, and always would be. She still had her history, though she wouldn't let that define her. She may have not been the most elegant or beautiful princess, but at least she knew that over all, she was a decent person.

"Are you sure you can't tell me now?" Electra asked.

"Oh, alright," Edmund said, pulling Electra aside slightly so they could have a bit more privacy. "Listen, I know Peter knighted you and all, but don't make this feel like an obligation to come with us in case we're called to war or something."

"So," she said, attempting to reason his small suggestion, "You're saying you'd rather leave me behind where I'm safe than be fighting with you where I can be of help."

Edmund thought for a moment before nodding. "Yes. That sounds about right."

"Look," Electra said with a smile, laughing slightly, "I appreciate your concern, but I'll be alright. I promise. I'm perfectly able to take care of myself. You're not going to stop your brother from fighting, are you?"

"Well, no," Edmund responded. "But it's his job, and I'll be right next to him."

"Now it's my job as well," Electra finalized.

Edmund sighed, obviously attempting to find another way around this. "Are you sure you just can't stay with the archers in the back?"

Electra laughed giving Edmund another hug. "You know how stubborn and persistent I am, Edmund."

"Yes…"

"Well then stop attempting to persuade me," she said. "It won't work."

Edmund looked as though he wanted to argue, but at that moment Peter approached the two of them. He had a smile upon his face and his sisters were right behind him, also smiling away.

"It's time," he said. "Are you ready?"

"If by ready you mean ready to run from the room and hind in one of the towers, then yes," Electra responded, suddenly feeling a bit sick at the idea of standing in front of a bunch of people to be officially named a princess.

"It's going to be fine," Susan said. "You look lovely, and we know everyone will be wonderful. You'll be wonderful, I promise."

Electra grimaced. "I don't have to make a speech do I?"

"Not if you don't want to," Edmund responded, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Electra took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay. I'm ready."

"All you have to do," Peter said, "is come outside when you're announced. It's as simple as that."

"Just smile and wave," Edmund said with a joking grin.

"Right."

The four gave her their own congratulations before walking through a set of glass double doors onto a balcony. From beyond them, Electra could see the sight of a gathered crowd cheering them loudly. A soft spring breeze flew through the windows and her eyes landed on the younger king.

Even know, after so much time had passed, and so much had occurred between them, she still loved him. He may not have loved her back in the same way, but that certainly didn't change the way she felt about him. A small fleeting part of her wished that with her new status, things might change, but in her heart she knew it wouldn't. Edmund wasn't the type who would let politics get in the way of a relationship with anyone. The fact that she was eligible to be with him didn't mean that it would happen.

She heard Peter's voice ringing over the crowd as she took a deep breath, attempting to steady herself for what was about to be. She suddenly heard her name called and the set of glass doors opened once again for her.

She was astonished to hear the sound of a roaring crowd, wanting her to show herself to them. A shifty grin crossed her lips. Everything would be alright, she promised herself. Nothing could take the moment away from her.

Placing one foot in front of the other, she moved onto the sunny balcony to stand next to Lucy in front of the crowd, her eyes squinting against the sunlight.

In all of her years, Electra had never once thought of this happening to her. She was standing on a balcony with the Kings and Queens of Narnia, almost like an equal to them being cheered on by all of Narnia's inhabitants. It was like a dream come true.

Something in the shadowed woods beyond the crowd caught her eye. Something moving. A little confused, she squinted through the bright sunlight, trying to see what or who was back there. She saw the small outline of a figure, a dwarf perhaps? Smiling she realized it was probably the dwarf guard she had sent out earlier.

"Can we go inside now?" she whispered to Lucy. Though anyone would have been an idiot to not enjoy being cheered on by hundreds of people, the whole thing was still overwhelming.

"I don't think Peter's finished yet," Lucy replied, nodding over to her brother past Susan.

Electra glanced over at Peter, and beyond him, Edmund. Edmund gave her a small wave and smile, which she returned laughing slightly. She almost wished it were all a dream so that she could treasure the idea forever and no one could take it away. Still grinning, she turned back to the crowd.

A whistling and a short snap filled the air. Electra heard Lucy's scream before she noticed the huge wave of pain stabbing right above her heart. Time stood still and she felt her body weakening all too quickly before it hit the stone beneath her.

All around, people screamed, heading for safety, scrambling away as the guards either headed in the direction the arrow came from, or went to protect the Kings and Queens. No one seemed to care about the fallen maiden as she lay in a growing pool of her own blood.

_"Thrice you defy death before your nineteenth. Richness lies in your blood and body, though you do not realize it. Your love will come at a cost to those you hold dear now, and your choice will change the course of history. By going one path, land will fall into darkness as it had four years prior to the White Witch. Chaos will run and you will help lead a great campaign for your people which will last many years, resigning in you dying old yet alone. __If you choose the other path, the world will prosper, uniting kingdoms and bringing long lost peace between worlds. Love will fill your life unlike it has ever before. Yet with this choice comes a terrible price. You will die young and without a future."_

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**A/N: We're almost there! One more chapter and then the epilogue. It's been a fun ride, thank you everyone who read and reviewed, I've really appreciated it so much. It's helped me out with keeping me motivated to finish the story as well as any mistakes I've had. When I post the next chapter, I'll also be posting the epiloge. There will be a surprise in the A/N at the end of the epilogue so check for that. Thanks again!**


	32. Last Words

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

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Last Words

Mass chaos was everywhere. Civilians were screaming and running for their lives. Some of the guards were racing for the tree line to the one who had fired the arrow. One voice could be heard above them all, and the pain that filled it was enough to rip anyone's heart if they even stopped to listen.

_"Electra!"_

Bodies moved away from the fallen body pushing Edmund from her as he screamed her name. The perimeter was so tight he couldn't fight his way through.

"Ed, get down!"

Someone suddenly slammed into his back, forcing him to the ground. More whistling filled the air. Glass windows behind them shattered and more screams shattered his eardrums. Edmund only had eyes for one person. He darted his eyes through the crowd and spoted Lucy and Susan, crouched beneath the stone railing of the balcony. More guards were racing out to the fields.

A hand pulled Susan up. A centaur body shielded her from any possible arrows before pulling her inside. Another came for Lucy, this time a faun.

Beyond their outlines, he could see someone picking up someone. By the hanging limp arm and the curled dark hair that hung limply, he knew it was Electra. There was the sound of metal on stone, and something thin and round caught his eye. The silver circlet that had been placed so delicately on her head had fallen from its owner. A rough hand caught his upper arm and pulled him toward the doors.

"Edmund move!" his brother urged. There were no more flying arrows, but that didn't mean the danger was gone.

Edmund saw the limp arm from the hands of a centaur disappear into the doorway ahead of them, and he quickly obliged his brother's urges. The two of them moved inside, the doors quickly shut behind them to keep the Kings and Queens safe.

Edmund paid no attention to this however. His eyes were frantically searching around for the centaur who had taken Electra away. He couldn't spot them at all, and he quickly turned to face his brother.

"Where would they have taken her?" he asked frantically. His heart was beating rapidly. He had to make sure she was alright. All he remembered was the sound of an arrow whistling through the air, then Electra falling to the ground. He didn't know where she had been hit, or if she was even alive still.

"Come on," Peter took Edmund's arm and hurried him through the halls. Lucy caught up with them, but Susan was nowhere to be found. This didn't catch Edmund's attention, however, as his mind was already focused on someone else.

They raced through the halls, Edmund looking in every door he could to find her. How they had gotten away so quickly and unnoticed by him, he didn't know. Had they gone the wrong way through the castle?

Fear made him stop and he felt tears burn his eyes. He had to find her.

There was the sound of a scream that echoed through the halls. A familiar scream that Edmund knew all too well. His heart pounded fearfully in his chest as he sprinted down the hall in the direction of the scream.

He paused at an open doorway, filled with people. Their words jumbled together so much, that he couldn't understand what they were saying. Something told him, however, that this was the room.

Edmund broke past those blocking his view of the wounded woman. She had been set upon a table, the black dwarf arrow sticking out from the left side of her chest. Her shaking hands and uneasy breath told him she was still alive, but what time she had was limited.

"Get the fire flower juice!" he heard himself shout. Quick and light footsteps from the room signaled Lucy's departure. Close up, Edmund could see Electra's watering eyes of agony, a trickle of blood running from the corner of her lips. Around her others rushed about, attempting to make her comfortable.

"No," Edmund's voice hoarsely pleaded. "Please no…" Swallowing hard, he placed one hand on the arrow shaft and the other on her shoulder to hold her down. It had to come out immediately. A tear trickled from the corner of the King's eye, "This is going to hurt a bit."

Electra's eyes never left Edmund, now weeping silently, her limbs shaking more uncontrollably than before. Closing his eyes he pulled at the shaft. The scream of ultimate agony busted his already throbbng ears. The shaft and arrowhead soon pulled free, and with it came a pool of blood. A hand came from nowhere with a cloth, temporarily closing the wound until the fire flower juice was brought. Edmund's hand replaced the one holding the cloth and he applied as much pressure as he could to stop the bleeding. The arrow had not pierced the heart, thankfully, but it had come close enough to puncture a major vein.

"Lucy!" Edmund yelled urgently. What was taking her so long?

"Edmund," his brother's worried whisper came from behind him.

Edmund whipped his head around, annoyed Peter seemed to have something more important to interrupt him with while Electra lay there dying. "What?" Beneath his hands he could feel the difficult beating of her heart.

Peter was holding the arrow shaft, examining the head. He had a fearful look in his eyes. "It's poisoned."

"What?" Edmund's voice had suddenly turned hollow and fearful, much more so than Peter's.

"The arrowhead is poisoned," Peter replied, setting the weapon on the side table.

Edmund's breath caught in his throat. His brother seemed to have given up, but he refused to be so easily swayed. He turned back to Electra, and the sight of her made her go slightly numb. She was no longer shaking and her breathing was easing.

"Hold on, Electra," he whispered, not realizing he was the only one left tending to her. "You're going to be alright. I promise." He could feel tears revealing themselves from his eyes, but he didn't care. Let her see him vulnerable and weak. Perhaps it would urge her to fight harder.

Edmund felt something atop the back of his hand his hand. He glanced down to see her own bloody hands on his, gripping it with as much strength as she had. It wasn't much.

More tears sprouted outward from his eyes and fell down his already soaked cheeks as he looked back at her. He looked back into her eyes pleadingly. Her eyes suddenly shut tightly as another wave of pain jolted her body, heaving it forward and forcing her into a small fit of coughs staining her lips with more blood.

When her body finally settled down, her breathing was shallower and raspier. Edmund swallowed; it couldn't end like this.

Her eyes never opened again. Her breathing eventually faded into nothingness and the beating of her heart underneath his fingertips subsided till it was no more. The shock was too much for Edmund that it took a moment for the truth to actually hit him.

Edmund stood, unable to move or take his hands away from the open wound, no longer flowing steadily as there was no heartbeat to push it past her open flesh. A gentle hand lay on his shoulder, which snapped him back to reality.

"No!" he shouted, ripping his shoulder from the light grip, moving his hands to Electra's side to shake her awake, revive her.

"Let her go, Edmund," Peter's kind voice ordered. His arms wrapped gently yet firmly around his younger brother to pull him away from the limp maiden.

Edmund resisted. "No! Aslan wouldn't let her go!" he struggled, tears once again finding their way down his cheeks, burning his eyes beyond imaginable. "She can't be…" he couldn't finish his thought. That would put everything into reality.

His eyes fell upon Electra once more. She was as still as she had been when Peter had torn him away from her. Why had she not responded to his desperate cries? Surely she would not have played such a cruel trick on him.

"Electra!" Seconds passed as he waited for her to rise. He'd stopped struggling by then. The sound of quick light footsteps met his ears before stopping in the doorway. There was a silence as Lucy took in the scene before gasping.

It was her gasp that finally broke Edmund. He let out a pained scream, his body going limp and crashing to the floor. His brother continued to hold onto him tightly as Edmund continued to scream, wanting to deny that which he could deny no longer. The room slowly emptied and the last few picked up the dead girl and carried her out of the room, leaving Lucy, Peter and the devastated Edmund, who had eventually silenced in his grief.

"Where's Susan?" Peter asked, looking up at his sister. His voice was grave and he had yet to release his brother from his grasp.

"She's safe," Lucy replied, her voice choking. "The guards caught the band of black dwarves before they could escape."

"Where are they?" Edmund looked up at his sister, whom he could see was silently crying. In turn they turned to face him. "I said, 'where are they'?!" Both Peter and Lucy jumped back, seemingly frightened at his sudden rage that had built within seconds.

"The throne room," Lucy mumbled.

Edmund ripped himself from Peter's grip and moved from the room, a fiery determination set within him. When he arrived in the throne room, he unsheathed his sword from his side, glaring at the small group of seven black dwarves kneeling on the stone floor surrounded by guards, all of them in shackles.

"Which one of you shot at her?" he snarled, glaring at each one of them in turn. After a second of silence his temper quickly flared to a height it had never reached before. _"Which one of you shot at her?!"_

His voice echoed against the marble columns and walls, all of the dwarves looking frightened. Their eyes betrayed the culprit, as all of them glanced at each other save for one, who kept his eyes locked on the ground.

Without hesitation, Edmund marched over and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, dragging him forward and throwing him to the floor. The then kneeled down next to him, placing his sword at the dwarf's throat. He quickly pulled his sword in a horizontal slash without hesitation, slicing the dwarf's neck. It stained the floor with the blood as the dwarf fell limply to the ground, leaving Edmund kneeling there. After a moment, he stood, not looking back at those still kneeling on the floor.

"Kill them all."

Edmund left the room immediately after giving his order. He heard the sound of several weapons unsheathed behind him, but did not look back. As he exited into the hall, he passed Peter who had been heading to the throne room, but made no inclination he even saw him. His feet carried him on their own and though he knew where they were headed, he couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to.

He finally arrived outside a wooden door. He pushed it open, glancing inside. One look told him he was in Electra's room, or it had been Electra's room before her life was taken away from her and him. Everything was just as she had left it, and it would remain waiting for her to return as if nothing had happened.

Feeling himself choking up tears, Edmund took a deep breath and walked into the darkened room. He moved over to the window and pulled back the curtains. Electra wouldn't have wanted the view of the sea kept from her room. In new light, Edmund turned and looked back around. It still mocked him, persuading him he was doing little more than dreaming.

All those times he'd spent with Electra, his emotions had been like riding on the back of a crazed griffin. Up and down, slow and fast. What had he been doing all this time? More tears found their way down his cheeks, but he let them fall. He didn't care anymore.

He'd tried to keep his distance away from Electra by being harsh, but it had been nothing more than a guise. He couldn't keep away from her, despite his attempts. Many would have disapproved of their relationship, but he realized now that he shouldn't have cared. Life had been too short, was too short. And what time he could have spent with Electra was now gone.

He thought back to the Christmas they shared. It was the one moment with her that he had been purely happy. They had embraced in a way they never again would embrace, that night. Unfortunately it had ended too soon, and Edmund ended up carrying her back to bed before retreating to his own himself.

He had instantly shot that moment down though, the next morning, when he told her their friendship could never come to that. What a fool he was.

His stomach turned uneasily; he couldn't stay here. It was too much. He moved away from the window to leave when something caught his eye.

On her desk sat an open ink well and quill with a sealed letter. A bit confused, he walked over. If it was a letter she had just written, the least he could do was get it delivered for her. Then, upon glancing at the letter closer, he realized it was addressed to him. Without hesitation, he picked it up and ripped it open, reading her neat script.

_Dear Edmund,_

_By the time you read this, I'll probably already be on my way to Telmar. I never told you, or anyone save for Lucy this, but when I was raised, the two who treated me as one of their own children recently had a child and named her Angel. Forcing to flee, they resided in the southern hills of Telmar. They were found by pirates and killed, leaving the child alone. I intend to travel to Telmar and retrieve her. She deserves to be loved by those who would consider her family._

_My best wishes to Lucy and the others until I can return. I sincerely hope it will be soon._

_Electra_

By the time Edmund had finished reading through the letter, much of the ink had become smeared with his tears. Sniffing, he wiped his eyes dry with the back of his sleeve before folding up the letter and placing it into his pocket. He couldn't bring himself to look around the room before leaving, making sure to close the door behind him.

Edmund made his way through the halls and back to the throne room, where his brother and two sisters were gathered. Susan saw him immediately and ran over to him, hugging him tightly. Edmund stood there statuesque until he could no longer and broke free from her grasp. Susan looked a bit confused at the rejection, but said nothing.

"We're going to have a ceremony at sunset," Peter informed him, becoming businesslike again. Edmund looked up at him, his face still emotionless.

He knew he should be there, attending whatever they were planning on holding for Electra, but he couldn't bring himself to go. It would make everything real, meaning he accepted that Electra was dead. He wasn't ready to do so. He didn't know if he would ever be ready.

Silently, he pulled the letter from his pocket and handed it to Lucy. Then, without a word he turned and left the throne room. He didn't know what went on behind him; he only heard Peter's words, "Let him go."

Edmund went to his room, pulling out a cloak from his wardrobe and setting it on his bed. Making sure he had his sword, he began getting things together for his journey.

That evening, at sunset, a group who had come to pay their respects to the newly found princess lined the shoreline beach. Lucy and Susan were among them, dressed and veiled with black. Lucy, having become a dear friend was weeping into Susan's arm. Susan was standing still, silent tears falling down her cheeks.

A small boat ornamented with flowers lay in the surf. Inside was Electra, looking as though she were peacefully sleeping. She had been dressed in Narnia's finest garments, and on her head lay a silver circlet.

Peter, who had also dressed in black, took one of the torches that stood in the sand next to the boat and laid it down next to the dead woman. Then, with Oreius's help, the two pushed the boat against the surf and into the water. From there, mermaids pulled it past the low tides and into the open sea. Peter then moved back to stand with his sisters as the small boat took the same glow as the setting sun on the horizon.

A ways up on the cliff stood a solemn person, his dark hair clashing against the brightly colored sky. He watched the glow of the boat against the sea, moving away from all of the spectators. Without a word he turned away from the sight and toward the field where a horse stood waiting for him. Placing his foot in the stirrup he mounted the brown steed, taking the reinds.

"Let's go," he said, refusing to look back at the sea again.

The horse nodded taking a few slow steps before turning them into a hard gallop, through the gates of Cair Paravel and into the wide open plain, riding hard into the west.


	33. New Life

ELECTRA OF THE LONE ISLANDS

Disclaimer: The characters of Peter Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, and Aslan are all property of Disney® and C.S. Lewis, as is Narnia.

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New Life

The sun high in the sky signaled midday to all of Narnia. It was one of the cooler days in the summer and the cloudless blue sky merging with the endless sea was the perfect backdrop to the scene in front of Cair Paravel. Three siblings were standing just inside the gates, the eldest a male with a golden crown and the other two female. They seemed to be waiting for something, or someone. They had been waiting there since well into midday, though there was little that could have pulled their gaze away from the west.

Susan sighed, glancing up at the sky before at her siblings. "Are you sure he said he would be back today, Lucy?"

"That's what it said in the letter," Lucy replied taking the letter from her pocket and handing it to Susan for her to read. "I'm not surprised he's late. A journey this far, he has to be delicate. You can go inside if you want, but I want to be out here for when he gets back." Her face formed into a bright grin.

"It just doesn't make sense," Susan sighed after glancing over the letter and handing it back to Lucy. "It's not Edmund-like to suddenly leave for months at a time until its well into the summer with little to no word at all."

"He had good reason," Peter said, his voice firm.

Susan sighed again. "I know. I'm just saying a little forewarning would have been nice. I mean, what if we needed him here. It wasn't like he told us where exactly he would be. There would have been no way to contact him."

"He contacted us," Lucy reminded her, still holding the letter.

"Yes, but that was a month later," Susan replied, still staring at the western horizon where the ground disappeared into the trees. "Especially after what happened. Who knows what he would have gotten himself into after the state he was in."

"I knew where he was going," Lucy argued indignantly. "I am someone he can tell, you know. Besides, I bet you were busy putting on your makeup or something,"

"There he is," Peter's voice chimed in, cutting off any comeback Susan might have had for her younger sister.

The three of them squinted into the horizon where a large darkened shadow was drawing closer. After several minutes passed, the outline of a carriage could be distinctly seen, sending a soft dust cloud behind it as it slowly made its way to the front gates.

The carriage slowed to a stop. Lucy bounced excitedly, attempting to peek through the curtained windows. Susan looked interested though obviously trying to be less so than Lucy. Peter stood silently with his hands folded behind his back, waiting to for the carriage door to be open.

"Welcome home, Edmund," he said as it did.

The dark haired king stepped out slowly, his silver crown shining brightly against the sunlight as he carefully stepped onto the ground. He smiled at his siblings each in turn.

"It's good to see you all," he said. "Sorry it was kind of an unexpected leave of absence."

"I should scold you right now," Susan scorned. "However, I will refrain from doing so at the moment."

Her eyes, as well as everyone else's fell upon the bundle of white linens folded so carefully in Edmund's arms. Just inside, they could make out the small face of a young baby girl sleeping peacefully within the folds of the cloth. Edmund made sure his body was shielding the light from the girl's face as he moved over to stand with his siblings.

"What have I missed?" Edmund asked.

"Nothing much," Peter replied formally. "Rumors of White Witch supporters fleeing to the north beyond Ettinsmore, but nothing more than that. It's been rather quiet."

"Let's hope it stays that way," Lucy grinned, looking adoringly at the baby in Edmund's arms. "Angel, right?" she asked.

Edmund nodded. "That's right."

"Can I hold her?"

Edmund shifted slightly uncomfortably. "I'll carry her inside. It's no big deal." Lucy nodded in response, understandingly.

The four entered the castle, the sounds of summer surrounding them until the door was closed. Edmund carried the girl into the room Lucy had indicated in one of their many corresponances over the past few weeks. It was beautifully decorated and he couldn't help but smile, glad his siblings didn't question or challenge him on this decision. Although raising a little girl would certainly provide a challenge for the future, he had his brother and sisters to help. And somewhere deep inside of him, this was something he knew he couldn't go on without doing.

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**A/N: Hey everyone! Thank you so much for those who read; I hope you enjoyed the story. I'm so glad I wrote a fullstory for Narnia rather than a one shot or a short story.**

**So! As for the surprise I promised: for anyone interested, there is a sequel. It's entitled _The Princess, the Apple, and the Horn_, and it follows Angel ten years after _Electra of the Lone Islands_. The prologue at least should be posted by tomorrow, so please go check that out! :)**

**Thanks again!**

**PhoenixStargirl**


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